Rodeo Ride Tour
by Winged Dancer
Summary: A novelization of the official Namco Drama CD. After a busy night handling an assassination attempt at Meltokio, Sheena receives a visitor and ends up having a vacation of sorts along with a good for nothing redhaired wildhorse... [ZelosSheena] [Finished]
1. Track 1 The Carnival's Night

**Tales of Symphonia:**

**Rodeo Ride Tour**

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**Explanatory Notes: Please read this!**

On May 25 and June 24 of this year Namco released two Tales of Symphonia Drama CDs, called "Rodeo Ride Tour". A Drama CD is basically like anime but without any images: you hear the characters talking, you hear sound effects and music but your imagination does the rest.

That aside, "Rodeo Ride Tour" is the biggest treat Zelos/Sheena shippers could hope for. Two entire CDs filled with romantic tension and adventure – what else can one wish for? But unfortunately, they are all spoken in Japanese, so for the average fan it's not only hard to find, its also almost impossible to understand… quite a waste, I think.

So I decided to make a fan-fiction adaptation of this two Drama CDs, 'cause I like to share and (mainly) because there just isn't enough "Sheelos" around and also because this is an _official_ side-story; meaning that our fandom is now supported by Namco. AREN'T YOU HAPPY!

The final note, now: English is not my first language. Neither is Japanese. I'm struggling to give you all an accurate translation and a well-written work, but if you happen to be an English/Japanese mayor and notice I made some mistakes, then please, _please_ don't come and yell at me things like "I noticed you can't properly spell the word 'whether', therefore you are stupid" or "OMG u suX0rs lol". Instead point out my mistakes, feel free to correct them, it'll make me real happy. Please.

So anyway, sorry for the big-ass notes, thank you for reading them and unto the story.

-- _WRD_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Tales of Symphonia license, the Rodeo Ride Tour license, the characters of Zelos Wilder, Sheena Fujibayashi, Orochi or any other that might appear. I only own a pair of very legal "Rodeo Ride Tour" CDs and I'm not making any money out of this, so you'd do me a favor if you didn't sue me.

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**Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology**

**Rodeo Ride Tour**

_A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer_

* * *

**Track One – **

**The Carnival's Night**

* * *

The streets of Meltokio were filled to their brim on that night. All around the city the streets were filled with not only people but various stands; some selling food and various drinks, some others offering their clients a chance to test their ability at various skill games.

The sound of a fire-cracker rising to the sky pierced the air and drew all eyes towards it as it exploded in a rain of blue and purple sparks, quickly followed by many more. The people cheered and in the stage that had been built at the Castle's plaza the curtains were drawn to reveal all sorts if entertainers.

"Aaah, welcome, welcome to all of you who are reunited here! But it is too early to call it a show – our circus has quite a spectacle for you all, in this anniversary for the Uniting of Thethe'alla and Sylvarant! Now watch as all around the lands red, blue and green race to the sky! If it goes well, it'll surely be fun!"

The people opened their eyes as the first machine lit up, sending a red beam towards the night-sly. "_One!_" the crowd called, "_Two!_", as the second beam, this time blue, followed the first, and "_Three!_ " was followed by much clapping as the green beam joined the first two.

Ignoring the carnival and completely unnoticed so far by the people enjoying it, three dark-clad figures watched the city's clock tower with apprehension, turning towards the Meltokio church every now and then.

"…what sheer number of people!" the first of them grunted, "To make this many people evacuate the city right now – "

"Impossible!" one of his comrades interrupted.

"There's no way to do it!"

"If they knew what is really going on, they'd panic!"

"What – what can we do, Orochi?"

No answer was heard from their leader.

"Orochi! Master Orochi!"

The man's dark eyes were kept on the unaware happy crowd. "To the expected time… how much time do we have 'till then!"

The second man in command looked at the clock. "Three minutes. Not much more than that."

Orochi frowned. "With that remaining time… we are counting on you, Sheena!"

* * *

Inside the church no other sound besides her footsteps could be heard. If she didn't know better, she'd say she was completely alone in the city – but she was completely aware of the hundreds of people just some yards below her and of the danger they were all in.

Sheena Fujibayashi kept running down the corridor, panting. She was tired but every instant was precious and there were just a few more rooms left to check. Sharply turning at a corner, she opened a door and was greeted by a beeping.

A sense of relief washed over her as she saw a small apparatus on the floor. "…finally found it…" she said to herself and, still panting, walked towards the machine and kneeled next to it. "…to change Meltokio into a sea of fire… a Mana-Cannon Bomb," she whispered, looking in half-wonder at the bomb for an instant before snapping back to reality. "There's no time – if I don't deactivate it within the time limit, it'll - !"

"That's not to be handled so roughly…" a voice behind her interrupted, "You, damn Kingdom dog!"

She turned around, gasping. A man stepped from the shadows, slowly walking towards her. He had a scraggy, sickly look about him; his hair, stained with white, tangled enough to make it clear he hadn't bathed in a few days and his beard shaved unevenly.

"That bomb is an example of the finest art. It is not an article for you trash to be touching!" the man kept advancing, stopping once he was but inches away from her. "If someone was to treat it badly, it's boom! for all of us…"

She scowled. "To target the Carnival night… you crazy old man!" with the ease acquired by a lime-time of practice she moved away from him. "If you don't want me to hurt you, stop it quickly!"

She didn't even get a chance to finish her sentence before the man replied, in an eerily calm voice, "I refuse! This demonic festival… I, with my creations, I will destroy it! And then…" the man stopped sounding calm to start sounding completely lunatic, "And then I, and my art, will achieve perfection and beautiful freedom…!" he started laughing and Sheena no longer doubted whether he was insane or not. He was. By far. Past the point of being funny.

"What kind of perfection…" she spat between clenched teeth, "This Mana-Cannon Bomb… if it explodes, from this church it could easily spread and then all the people taking part in the carnival…!" Inside her head she could hear the sounds of an explosion, followed by pained screams – a scene from the past, one she could allow no more. "I need to think… think, Sheena! Something… there must be something I can do!"

The old man giggled madly at her desperation, "This cursed festival! Do you think we'd allow it! All of them, who are there, all are sinners! I'll crush them! They indulge in luxuries while having stained souls, they transform in monsters… in representation of the Gods, I shall – iyaaaa, what? Wait, what? That – what, what are you doing? That's my master piece, and you -! W-wait!"

Needless to say, Sheena had gotten tired of the lunatic's rambling and had started to lift the bomb. "One, two - !" she closed her eyes and jumped through the church's window with the bomb in her arms. She landed on top of a nearby house and dashed towards the city's walls, jumping along the rooftops as quickly as she could.

"Useless!" the terrorist called behind her, "Even if you get it out of the city, the explosion will destroy everything! Hahaha… hihihi!" and kept on laughing.

She didn't pay heed to him and kept running. In front of her she could see now the east side of the carnival, as crowded as every other part. She kept running.

"Look, daddy!" a small girl tugged on his father's sleeve as she caught sight of Sheena, "There's a lady beeping on the roof!"

"Eh…? Hey, it's true!"

Great. Now everybody was looking at her.

"Wow, that's some speed!"

"Nice legs!"

"Hey! Hey! Here!"

Sheena gritted her teeth. "I won't allow it. I won't! To see innocent people die… I'll pass on that!"

"Sheena!"

She startled, but didn't stop. "That voice -!" a man dropped next to her, easily keeping her pace. "Orochi!"

"Is that… is that the Mana-Cannon Bomb?"

"Yes. I'll carry it as far as possible from the city and make it explode there!"

"But… what will you do!" Orochi exclaimed, running ahead and forcing her to stop. "You'll be caught in the explosion!" he looked at her sternly. "I'll do it. You, as Mizuho's successor… there's no way I can allow you to…!"

She jumped ahead of him, and out of the city. He followed her.

"These walls that surround the city…" Orochi continued, "They'll contain the explosion at least a little. Not perfectly, but... leave the bomb to me! Sheena, you at least, get away from the city as – "

"We don't have time to lose talking." The ninja interrupted him, her voice resolute.

Her companion narrowed his eyes. "Do you intend to die? Sheena… is it that you still can't let go of that - "

"Orochi!" she commanded for silence, "Inside of me right now, I refuse to think of Volt. Right now, I'm thinking of what follows… of the sake of the future, only. That's what Mizuho has been fighting for during this last year. For the sake of our future!"

From behind his mask, Orochi smiled. "For the sake of the future."

"We've done it together. Orochi… you understand, right?"

He kept silent for a few instants. "So you are not trying to die."

"Nope."

"Then I'll leave it to you."

"Yessir!" still a girl in some aspects; she jumped ahead with the bomb and ran away from the city.

"Yes… I'm fighting for the future!" she repeated in her mind, "Just because some crazy old man thought it was funny to make a bomb…" said bomb's beeping grew louder and faster. "There's no way I'm dying here!" she exclaimed as, with all of her strength, threw the bomb aside just as it started to unfurl and prepare for the explosion.

"To contain a bomb there's only another bomb! I call upon the Red Giant, the Ruler of Hellfire! Come! Efreet!" the Summon Spirit of Fire appeared before her in a flurry of red, "Tear it do-own!"

* * *

A new attraction was born at the Carnival that night: not only did the people enjoy the spectacle of seeing Efreet's flames eating the Mana-Cannon Bomb's explosion, they also got to see the dramatic capture of the "Bomb Wizard" by the Meltokio palace guards, who were now trying to take the old man towards the prison; which was no easy task since most of the Meltokians wanted to, at the very least, see the madman and perhaps throw him an egg or two.

"C'mon! Walk, you stupid old man!" one guard urged.

"Agh – my – my art! My masterpiece was -!"

"Shut up, fart!"

"Take that, you idiot!"

"Don't mess with us, moron!" it was hard to say whether the populace was angry or having a good time.

Close to the city gates, Sheena was sitting on some empty juice crates. Orochi and the rest of the Mizuho people were standing close.

"So you canceled the Mana-Cannon Bomb's explosion with Efreet's mana explosion…"

"Yep, that was it."

Orochi smiled at her, seemingly proud. "The cunning, method, courage and the correct preparations… as expected from our village, Mizuho's Successor."

"There's no way I was dying there. I still have many things left to do after… this…?" Sheena stopped as she saw a small girl, in an overly-cute pink dress, running towards her.

"H-hey! You can't go bothering people like that, Meary…!" the girl's father called, but the girl ignored him and ran up to the kunoichi.

"Here!" she said.

"Eh?" Sheena asked, a little confused.

"My balloon! I give it to you!"

She smiled. "…is that really fine?"

"Yeah!"

"Heh. Thanks." She took the girl's blue hot-air balloon, patting her softly on the cheek. Laughing, the girl turned around and ran back to her parents.

In silence, both Sheena and Orochi looked at the happy retreating family. It was almost impossible to think they had been so close to…

Orochi broke the silence, "The future."

"For the future," agreed Sheena.

He turned to her, crossing his hand over his chest in apology. "I said something insignificant when I mentioned Volt. Please forget about it."

"Already forgotten."

"I see," and then there was a bit of very uncomfortable silence in which Orochi stared right at her eyes without saying anything. "Next time," he finally said, "If someone must die… Sheena, let me be the one. Not you – me. Do you understand this?"

She smiled at him, wondering if he meant anything… after all, love was supposed to be secretive in the Igaguri style… but still, no. She was just reading too much into it. So she smiled at him. "Thanks. Er, say, Orochi…?"

"Uh?"

She giggled sheepishly, "I kinda sprained my ankle… give me a piggy-ride?"

Orochi sighed. "My, my…"

* * *

…_the way we are… why don't we just escape to some other place…?_

"I open my eyes and see the roof I'm used to seeing… Mizuho's everyday morning… I do that and I know that that trip is over.

Why is it…?

I hold onto my heart that hurts just a little and I think… that travel… what was it for me…?"

_Tales of Symphonia… Rodeo Ride Tour_

* * *

**Notes:** So that's the first track. I know you didn't understand the last bit – don't worry, I didn't understand it either at first. You are not supposed to until farther into the story.

This "track" is mainly the setting of the story – the prologue, if you will. The story begins in track 2, in which Zelos appears and is as great as he always is.

Just a few things I wanted to mention here – there are a few translation details I'm not sure about, and needless to say I had to describe the character's actions based on what I imagine, so not everything might be accurate… my biggest doubt is when Sheena says she sprained her ankle, I think in Japanese she says "I sprained my hips", but that is way too weird. So er, I hope you people don't mind my rather bad translating Oo

If you are interested in hearing the original tracks (Zelos' Japanese voice is so funny) send me a mail or something.

Next time, Track 2. Teaser now! In Japanese! (If you can read it, don't tell the others P)

_Yokisenu Houmonsha _

"Omae issho ni ikanai?"

"Hah!"

"Tabi."

"Tabi?"

"Ore to issho ni tabi ikanee ka?"

So there. Until a few days! Please review, this ain't an easy job and I'd like to know whether its being appreciated or not.

Thanks for reading,

- _WDR_


	2. Track 2 An Unexpected Visitor

**Disclaimer:** I don't own neither the Tales of Symphonia license nor the Rodeo Ride tour concept. Not making any money and my stomach hurts, leave me alone.

**

* * *

**

**Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology**

**Rodeo Ride Tour**

_A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer_

* * *

**Track Two – **

**An Unexpected Visitor**

* * *

The mornings were always the same. This is not to say they were monotonous or a routine, she liked Mizuho's mornings being like that. That sort of stillness offered her a sense of safeness, the reassurance she had something to cling to even if the world around crumbled. 

The birds chirping in the trees.

The sound of the water running outside her door.

The ornamental bamboo fountain rhythmically hitting against a stone.

Sheena loved Mizuho's mornings and therefore the young leader was a morning person: she'd get up at daybreak and train with Orochi and some of the other ninja, then she'd clean up, have breakfast and start working hours before the Sun had reached its peak.

But right now, however, she wasn't really aware of the morning sounds around her small home. She was deeply concentrated on a piece of paper in front of her, a calligraphy brush carefully held in one hand.

"Eeh…" she mumbled, lowering the brush down, "For this commissioned job... aaah… that we received an over-abundant reward – no, the just portion… eeh… we are really thankful – no, no, we are truly appreciative for the kindness shown. Hah! Finished!" she exclaimed happily, dropping the brush on the table.

"Let me see it."

"But of course!" not hiding her glee at having finished such a boring 'assignment', Sheena handed Orochi; as of lately her right-hand, the delicate rice paper in which the letter had been written.

" 'Estimated Majesty of the Tethe'alla Kingdom…' " the man started to read. She grinned, proud with herself. "…I don't think you should use 'estimated' when directing yourself to a higher-ranked person."

"Aaah! Aaah, it's such a pain to have to cooperate like this…!" the kunoichi cried out in frustration, ruffling her own hair in an attempt to calm her throbbing head. Honorific language had never been her forte, and now she had to write an entire letter like that? "Say, Orochi! Couldn't you just write it? C'mon!"

"Sheena," her friend and (very) strict critic started, "For this past year the national policy of the Tethe'alla Kingdom has been dedicated to rescue the land of Sylvarant in order for the two to coexist peacefully and grow. Besides of what you are writing to His Majesty, so you can become a worthy leader, you have to keep in mind the village's future and – "

"-if you don't at least keep in mind that which is called 'Justice' we'll be troubled." The girl chorused the last line, mocking her companion's all too fatherly voice.

For a second they glared at each other as if they were about to start throwing shuriken and battle cards in any second. But the tension was quickly broken as Sheena had to stifle a giggle (which escaped anyway) and Orochi snorted, which made the two of them start laughing loudly at almost the same time. As their laughter ended, Sheena was aware that her head-ache was gone and that once again she could hear the sound of water running outside.

So she bent back a little in order to stare out at the window and be happy about life for just a while. The sky above Mizuho was blue and a light breeze was blowing – it'd start raining soon but right now nothing could make things better. Well, something could… she was being stared at, that she could feel as if a stone had been laid on her shoulders. It wasn't like Orochi to stare like that…

"Er, Sheena…?" he called.

"Uh?"

"Have you thought about… what we talked about the other day?"

"Ah…" she had turned to him but now averted her eyes. She looked at the desk, at the brush, at the floor, at anything but the man she had grown along with.

Unbeknown to her, Orochi wasn't looking at her either, his eyes now fixated on his lap. "I'm serious about it. And I wish to hear your feelings."

"Ah, yes…" What could she say? What could she say to him? She hadn't even taken him _that_ seriously when he had told her, at the Carnival, that he would be the one to die for her… and as much as she appreciated Orochi as a loyal friend and worthy subordinate she didn't feel for him anything else…

"I'm sorry to be an interruption," a voice sounded behind the small study's panel-door. "There's a guest who desires to meet the Chief."

"Ah yes!" the kunoichi jumped up from her position, wondering if she should have been less obviously relieved to be called out at that precise moment. She quickly opened the panel door and headed out, "A guest, a guest…!"

Left alone, Orochi sighed. "Ah… well, well."

* * *

Now that she was out of her personal rut, Sheena walked slowly towards the village's entrance. "But even then… a guest? Who and from where will it be…?" 

And then, as she neared the entry, she started to hear rather strange sounds. High-pitched sounds. Squealing sounds. Most of them said:

"Kyaaa!"

"So coo-ool!"

"Aaah, here!"

She stopped as, in the middle of the entrance pavilion, she saw a cluster of young girls in the most fan-girlish attitude possible: fist bunched up, standing on their tiptoes, _fighting_ amongst them to get to whatever was at the center of the congregation.

"Ah," she sighed, "Bad premonition." Indeed bad. As she got closer, the random squeals got clearer and clearer, only confirming what she had thought of before.

"To think that you'd stoop at visiting the countryside! Aah, allow me to escort you!"

"This is such a very boring place but please, allow me to guide you in your stay!

"No, I shall be your guide!"

"What are you saying? I called first!"

"I did!"

"It was me!"

"No, me!"

And then the voiced blurred into one as all the girls screamed, "It is I, right, Chosen!"

And the Chosen laughed, _extremely_ pleased with his current situation. "Mmmmmh! It's so hard to be a model man! Now, now my hunnies! Can you stop the fighting around now? Because the love the great I feels for his hunnies does not thin whether they are five or ten, y'see!"

"Bu-ut! If possible, I want that beautiful love of yours to be mine only!"

"Wh-? Wait!"

"Well aren't you a fresh one!" the girl's 'friends' quickly chided, and the fight was about to break out again when –

"Ah-! It – hurts… hurts…"

"Ah, Chosen!"

"Chosen! Are you alright!"

The 'priest' brushed his long red hair back from his face and, very dramatically, placed a hand on his chest. "When I see my darling hunnies fighting… my delicate heart of glass cracks and starts aching…! It is the Chosen's duty to bring peace among those who follow him, so please, my dear angels…"

The girls stared for an instant. Then they hurled themselves at the man's neck, chest, arms, ankles or any other grab-able portion of his body, screaming things that varied in between "Chosen!" and "Kyaaa!", mostly.

"Good, good, good! Aaaaand, this is over ladies!"

"Eh – er – ah…!" the man managed to say under the almost literal pile of girls.

"Yes yes?" Sheena stretched until she was level with his face – actually, she had to bow, since he was rather burdened with a girl or two. "That idiot over there? They say stupid-ness reflects so will you please let go of my girls? And you all, too! Go back, now, now! Shush! Shush!"

As much as they complained, the girls couldn't disobey the words of their leader, so Sheena was left alone in front of the Chosen, who very calmly dusted himself off before positively beaming at her.

"Been a while!" Zelos exclaimed, one hand raised in a wave, "Heheheh! The Carnival's night was SO exciting, wasn't it? But for you to disappear without even saying hello… that's too cold for me to endure…"

But the girl wasn't really interested in his rants. "So?"

"Ah?"

"So? What brings you?"

"Ah, yeah! Well, for the moment why don't 'cha serve me something to drink or –"

Theatrically, she held one hand in front of her. "IF you don't have any business, I do suggest you leave!" Well, not really. Or maybe yes – she was busy that day, no time to lose feeding the Chosen. "Shush, shush!"

"Aaah, what's with you…" Zelos mumbled, playing with a strand of hair. "Well, actually, I just came to pay my greetings, y'know."

"Greetings?"

"And I need some advice, too."

"Advice?"

* * *

"A trip!"

"Yes." The solemnity of Zelos' statement was basically erased by his very nosy guzzling of the traditional Mizuho soup he had been offered. As soon as he was done, he placed the bowl on the low table. "Seconds."

"Forget about seconds! What do you mean, going on a journey now?"

"What meaning? A meaning? No reason, really! A trip is just a trip, right? And it always makes good publicity…'The Great Chosen's journey across the countries, a gleaming knight, this Chosen's coat of arms glitters –' "

"What do you intend to do about your duties, then!"

"-duties?" Zelos looked so honestly confused as he said that word that Sheena had to keep herself from asking him whether he had ever heard the word.

"Even now you are considered the Chosen, right?"

"Well, 'considered', right?"

"Well, there must be many things that you are still needed for! Ceremonies that need attendance, serve as the Kingdom's ambassador, work with the governments internal problems… and… that kind of thing!" the girls was struggling. Now that the Church of Martel was changing, what were the Chosen good for? "In a few words, er… ah…"

"Justice!" Orochi supplied, in his voice she could hear he wasn't very pleased with Zelos' visit. As the leader's second he had a right to be present in her audiences, and even though this was an informal meeting with a friend he had insisted in being present.

"Justice! Yes, there's the problem of what's fair and what people need, right?"

"Aah… that's all good, but, y'know… even the great I gets tired every now and then! 'Sides, my

character's never been fitting for an ambassador, right, Sheena? You'd say the same, right, Orochi-over-there?"

"…itcertainly seems so."

"Precisely!" Zelos almost purred the word, happily. "'Anyway, with Tehte'alla and Sylvarant becoming one, we can't keep on dragging the Chosen system forever, right? I'm just facing the music!"

"…completely irresponsible as ever, eh? Geez…"

The not-really-ex-Chosen laughed. "Yeah, that might just be it!"

_Hello Sheena,_ a voice in her head said. _I'm your usual head-ache. Remember me? _

But it seems Zelos wasn't finished talking. In a strange whimsical moment he looked out at the window and continued, in a much more calmed voice, " 'Sides, it's better if I… well, in return, many things will just go better, I think."

For a moment she wondered what he meant, but half of being a ninja meant not allowing your opponent to see what you have in mind. So she huffed. "So? You came to say hello before setting out?"

"Yep!"

"And?"

"Ah?"

"The advice! That's the only thing left, right?"

"Aaaaah, yeah, yeah, yeah, the advice, right? The advice, the advice…" he played with the empty bowl for a second before looking up at her. Whether he was being bashful or trying to look sexy she didn't know. "Can you lend me your ear for a sec?"

"…eeeeh?"

"It's not something I can speak out loud!" Zelos' voice had indeed dropped a few notches, "That clumsy ninja always sitting there… send him out or lend me your ear, you can choose."

She glared at the red-headed for a second before reaching across the table with a sigh of frustration. "What is it, then?"

Zelos moved his face close to her ear and took some breath. In a gentle voice, he started. "It's just that…"

And then he softly blew into her ear.

From the point of her fingertips to the top of her head a chill shook her body and made her hair stand up, her face felt hot and she knew she was blushing. So she did what her instincts told her to do: scream a lot and get away from that pervert, falling down in the process and still scrambling back.

"A-Hahahahahahaha!" Zelos doubled over with laughter, "You mean your ears are your weak points! What a bonus!"

Shivering now in rage and embarrassment, she got up. "You – you idiot! You – you'll pay!" attack cards were 'suddenly' floating behind her, all facing Zelos, who was stupid but not so stupid as to not realize danger when he saw it.

Funny how danger always looked like an angry woman.

"H-h-hey time time wait time wait I'm done I won't again sorry sorry sorry really sorry, I'm sorry!" the Chosen waved his arms in front of him, smiling apologetically. "Aaah, really! You can't take anything, can you!"

"Get to the point!"

"To the point, fine, to the point!" seeing the cards had been lowered, Zelos smiled again. "Well, actually, it's not really advice or anything like that… why don't 'cha come along?"

"Eh!" Sheena blinked at the remaining cards fell to the ground.

"On the trip."

"The trip!"

"Won't you come traveling with me?"

* * *

_Note on "Honorific Language"-_ Besides the "common" Japanese there are certain words, verbs and grammar structures that are used only when speaking with high-ranked people. It's a difficult thing to use and Sheena has problems with it, which is understandable 'cause it's not something you use on a daily basis. 

**Notes: **Heh, cliffhanger? Kinda. I was gonna post track 2 and 3 together but since it ended up being not so short, you'll have to wait. Thank you all _so _much for the reviews, they are greatly appreciated. It's just nice to know that people aren't just reading but having a reaction towards this... I'll fix the mistakes you all pointed from first chapter when I have time, thank you very much for that too.

Sheena is such a tomboy. You can't really tell by reading or even in the game but… she speaks like a tomboy, almost like a man. Luckily Zelos speaks even more manly ˆ-ˆ He's actually hard to decipher sometimes… I don't know how in-character I'm making them sound, my game files got erased so I can't go see and copy the game's dialogue styles.

Anyway, this is set about a year after the game ends… the "Rodeo Ride Tour" CDs are actually the 4th and 5th to come out. The three others are set six months after the game and update us on the rest of the cast.

It seems that at some point Sheena became Mizuho's true leader… when did this happen its not mentioned and neither her grandfather nor Tiga appear at any point, so I don't know what happened.

Thanks for reading, do review if you have something to say,

- _WDR_

* * *

**Track 3 –** _Kaze no Yukue_

"Heika… tokoro de… sono 'norowareta sonzai' to wa… ittai… Heika?"

"Tethe'alla no Miko."

"Nanto…!"

"…Zelos…"

"So. Zelos Wilder wa nerawareteiru no da."

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	3. Track 3 Where the Wind Goes

**Disclaimer:** Not making any profit. Not claiming ownership over anything either.

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**Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology**

**Rodeo Ride Tour**

_A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer_

* * *

**Track Three – **

**Where the Wind Goes**

* * *

The Cathedral's bell rung six times amongst the city's noises. The day had ended now and all over Meltokio you could hear people waving each other good-bye, kids being dragged home by their mothers and teens leaving their afternoon classes to go hang out at the coliseum and the different café bars in the western side of the city.

Inside the Castle things were much calmer than the rest of the city. Only guards and the occasional maid traveled the corridors, all the courtesans were resting in their rooms preparing for dinner or finishing whatever private business they could have.

Most couriers' day wasn't over, though.

"Your Majesty, it would seem that Mizuho's representatives have arrived," the King's old chamberlain announced, head bowed down.

The sovereign nodded. "Show them in."

In one swift motion the door opened with a solid noise and the two couriers appeared at the door.

The leader, a black-haired girl wearing purple, crossed an arm over her chest. "Sheena Fujibayashi and Orochi, answering to the calling, we have arrived," she proclaimed.

"You are acknowledged. Step forward," the King ordered.

Bowing slightly, the two ninja strode up towards the throne, their steps sure and full of coincidence. They stopped a few feet in front of the Throne's stairs, dropping to one knee and crossing their arms the way the leader had done before.

"Your Majesty!" this time it was the leader's companion, Orochi, the one who spoke, "What is it you need, to call upon these lowly servants?"

"Yes," the monarch nodded, "First, there is something I believe I should tell you two. It has to do with the Bomb Incident from before."

Sheena lifted her eyes. "During the Carnival's night…?"

"Yes. It seems that man wasn't your usual madman."

"...eh?" Sheena couldn't stop her gasping in time. She was aware of Orochi glaring at her from the corner of his eye: above anyone else, in front of Tethe'alla's King she couldn't afford to show _any_ weakness. Any humanity, for that matter.

"That man was being used," the King, however, had paid no heed to her. "It seems there were some others funding for the Mana-Canon Bomb's development."

* * *

Deep in the Castle's cells, the anonymous attacker (labeled 'Bomb Wizard' by Meltokio's population) was, in spite of the heavy chains that kept him down, moving restlessly from his place in the ground.

"I… I was chosen!" he would scream often, slamming his bindings against the floor and the wall, "As the one who would destroy the King of Evil… that cursed being which invites misery to this world, I was chosen to destroy it!" his struggling would get stronger, chains flaying wildly about him.

"It endangers all of our lives! Don't get in my way, I must destroy it!" and then he would calm down, breathing heavily while resting against the wall, glaring at whomever passed by, "Ah, well… it is not as if I was alone anyway… because there are still left many warriors who will fight to save this world! Heh…heheheh…Hahahahahaha!"

The Wizard's laugh did not unnerve the wardens anymore, nor did it bother the other recluses. It was a common, everyday thing by then, and the old man could always be silenced with a good kick or some sleeping potion.

But upstairs, people who had never even heard him laugh were worrying.

* * *

"…a cursed being… that invites misery to this world?" Orochi repeated the King's words, almost incredulous.

"As I was told," the King shook his head slowly. "As you know there are many beliefs around the world. All the evil and suffering exist because a cursed being is inviting them… there are those who believe that."

The ninja nodded. "Is this… related to a religion, perhaps?"

"Most probably. We have only begun to gather evidence that will point us to these people," for a few instants the ruler's eyes deviated from them and he seemed to be absorbed in his own thoughts, but soon enough he looked back at them and continued. "I wish to entrust you with an investigation. Will you undertake it?"

"Accepted!" was Orochi's quick, formal reply.

"Your Majesty!" Sheena, for the first time since the King had explained about the 'Wizard', spoke, "If you may… that 'cursed being'… just what…?"

The monarch sighed, and his eyes darted aside.

"Your Majesty…?"

The King looked down and breathed in. Whatever this 'cursed' thing was, thought Sheena, it was seemingly close to the King's heart.

"Tethe'alla's Chosen."

As if a hole had opened under her feet, Sheena felt herself falling. Something gripped her heart, her mouth opened in a silent gasp and she froze in a terrible, cold surprise.

"How…!" Orochi exclaimed next to her.

"…Zelos…" she whispered.

The King's eyes were somber. "Yes… Zelos Wilder is being targeted."

* * *

"What is it?"

She didn't answer. Perhaps she didn't hear it at all.

"You have been silent since we left the Castle."

She heard it. She could hear Orochi's voice and the sound of her feet upon the grass and the sound of the wind blowing, but there were no words in her mind.

"Sheena… it's your heart that hurts, right?"

She looked at him, but her gaze was lost and quickly dropped towards a nearby river. "Yes," she nodded, stopping at the waterside.

Zelos' words - his last words perhaps? - kept replaying in her mind.

_Won't you come traveling with me?_

A band of birds took flight from a nearby tree and her mind was back to Mizuho's 'everyday morning', that morning when peace had been broken by the loudest holy man the world had ever known.

* * *

"Well, even if I say 'traveling' is not as if we'll have any schedule! For the moment, I was thinking of heading north and from then, following the wind, with nothing on our back warm ourselves up at some hot-springs, eat some fresh fish near the coast, drink local wine's 'till we die! Be sure not to miss a meal… and well, that kinda thing, I was thinking let's just go have some fun! That's what I had decided so far. So? Wanna come along, Sheena?"

He wasn't trying to sound charming or tempting. In his sing-along voice she could only hear what he was saying, no undertones. It was a little bit scary.

" 'Sides, if you are around I feel my heart grows stronger!" Zelos had continued, his usual bright smile plastered on his face. "This poor man… far from home with no one close…"

Sheena had stared at him.

Orochi had stared at him.

They couldn't really believe what they were listening. Wasn't Zelos aware that Sheena was now Mizuho's leader? That she couldn't be expected to just get up and leave with a man just because he happened to be the Chosen? Even if they had been partners during the World Uniting quest, she had responsibilities to attend to. And a reputation to keep.

Didn't he understand any of that? Was he as shallow as gossip made him out to be, leaving on a journey just because he 'felt tired'?

But of course Zelos wasn't aware of what was going through the two ninja's mind. Like a boy eager to receive a price he was almost bouncing while sitting on the floor. Not a second after registering Sheena's vacant expression (he didn't bother to look at Orochi, of course), he grinned.

"Whaaaat! C'mon, it ain't like yourself to get all shy at things like –"

"I shall have your leave!" Orochi had gotten up from his face, anger evident in his eyes, and yet none was revealed in the ninja's voice, which remained calm and collected even as he continued. "Chosen One! I would like you to leave."

It was a stark contrast with Zelos, who, again looking more like a teen, turned to face the man without getting up. "Oi, oi! What's the matter? Have any problem! You're real jumpy, ain't you?"

His adversary narrowed his eyes and his voice grew louder as he spoke. "Mizuho's chief, unlike some others, has a strong sense of responsibility!"

"Hah? Strong sense of responsibility?" Now it was obvious that Zelos, too, was getting quite riled up. "Big deal! Oi! Even if you didn't come and tell me that, I know Sheena from peak to peak!"

At this, out of the blue, a pair of knives appeared in Orochi's hands. "I will not allow you to speak of Sheena like that!"

Zelos, too, started to get up, hand on sword's hilt, his voice an angry whisper. "Just perfect… so showing your real colors now, you -!"

"Stop that!" Sheena's voice had not been pleading nor desperate, it had been a leader's voice, a voice people obeyed at the very least because of the shock.

The two men glared at each other for a while, still ready to use their weapons at any moment. Orochi was the first to put his daggers away, although Zelos still kept his hand on the hilt.

"Zelos," it wasn't until Sheena called him that the Chosen stopped glaring at the ninja and turned to face her, "What you told me… I understood all of it."

A smile spread over the red-headed's face and he laughed. "Alright! So, we are set then!"

But she didn't allow him to talk much more. "You… you still call yourself a man!"

Very, very obviously surprised, Zelos barely managed to squeak out "…eh?"

"Because you were burdened with the title of Chosen One… up 'till now, which things have you had to endure because of that, I won't say that I comprehend all of that, but I'm trying to understand at least a little. I can't at least understand the feeling of wanting to throw it away.

But you know, even now you, as the Chosen, are an existence that is needed by everyone! How long will you be hesitating to do what you were supposed to from way before? If you call yourself a man, then have some guts, realize your position, face your fate and try to get a hold of your future already!"

For a few instants Zelos stared at her, his eyes open wide. Internally, she smiled: maybe, just maybe, she had finally gotten through that thick skull of his and he'd start taking things more seriously.

But that hope crumbled as she saw him lower his head and start laughing again. "Heheh… my bad!" he stretched his arms over his head, "Hahahah, just one hit and I was done for! I was SO un-cool, eh?" she couldn't believe it. He was trying to sound cute. He was _amused_. Amused!

"I'll be on my way then!" he continued, making his was to the door. "I'll bring you a souvenir, so keep your eyes open for me!"

"A souvenir… you think that'll -?" she couldn't really carry on. She was… disappointed. Not so much angry as… saddened. She thought she had matured thanks to the journey they had made with Lloyd… hadn't he gone through the same ordeals? Hadn't he been _forced_ to face his mistakes?

…why hadn't he changed then?

"It's just 'cause I have no guts, you see!" he smirked one last time. "Well then. Do your best."

She had huffed. "I do it even without being told, you know," and at her worst, she had added, looking away: "I'm not like you."

And once more he had snickered, not turning back and barely raising his arm. "Bye then."

* * *

The birds had not flown very far. Funny how people's brain could, in but a second, remember an entire conversation, an entire meeting… an entire person.

"The Chosen One… Zelos…" Orochi's voice didn't startle her. After all, memories were quick to come and quick to leave her with a feeling of sad emptiness in her chest. "He is being targeted by a group of fanatics and, at this rate, if he were to remain in one spot, he'd end up involving many innocent people… knowing that, he decided to leave Meltokio and so he set on a journey."

Her eyes still fixated on the stream, Sheena barely nodded.

_...Sides, it's better if I… well, in return, many things will just go better, I think…_

Why hadn't she seen it then? That, for all he said, he wasn't being himself?

"There's no possibility of it being an easy journey. Knowing he's left the city, the fanatics will assault whenever possible…"

"…by doing so he might be trying to lure the attackers away from the city."

"And yet he took not a single companion," the ninja stepped next to her, head turned to the sky. "…why is that?"

In spite of herself, she chuckled. "Because he's an idiot. An idiot. He's just gotten used to that. To be alone all the time… if he can live like that, that's the best thing to do," her eyes were beginning to wet, and she blinked in a vain effort to vanish her tears. "He's just gotten used to that way of living. But you know?" her nose was threatening to start dripping now and she had to use her sleeve to clean her face, "That guy…! Whatever he says he can't get used to behaving like a cat…!"

Her cheeks were now completely wet, sobs racked her body. Whatever he said, whatever he did, the Chosen didn't like being alone, didn't like having many owners…

…and he had come and asked _her_…

…and she had refused him when he needed her the most.

And Zelos' words…

…'_Sides, if you are around I feel my heart grows stronger!_

_Just perfect… so showing your real colors now, you -!_

…blended in her mind.

"But… but he just keeps pretending he's like that!" again, she laughed, "He's got to be cool 'till the end… really, so stupid… so un-cool…"

Sheena hugged herself, completely oblivious to Orochi turning and staring. Had she turned, in his eyes she would've seen sadness, loneliness and yet a serene acceptance. He jumped backwards, distancing himself from his leader, and with an arm pointed towards the now-setting sun.

"Go!"

The kunoichi's head snapped towards him. "…eeh?" her voice was weak, almost a whisper.

"Leave the village to me. You go."

"But…"

"The request entrusted to us by the King… the investigation regarding the fanatics, too, you can leave it to me!"

She cleaned her eyes, and he could see hope in them even as she again said "But-!", and even her voice had gotten stronger. He could see he had made the right decision.

"For this past year," he interrupted his friend, "You have been living as Mizuho's Leader. "If every now and then you return to live as Sheena Fujibayashi I know none who will complain."

"Orochi…"

"Go!"

Her eyes once more looked about to water but she broke into a smile and bowed low, her hands clutched to her chest. "Thanks. Thanks!" getting back up and sniffling, she turned around and started running.

He could still hear her muffled "I'm sorry!", and he once more looked up at the colored sky, sighing. He knew he had made the right decision.

He hadn't thought it'd hurt so much.

"Ah… well, well."

* * *

Kilometers away from Meltokio, in the middle of an old, forgotten highway, a man was walking completely alone. There was almost no sunlight left in the sky, but he didn't seem to be concerned by that.

Zelos Wilder was almost unrecognizable. His clothes were dusty, his shoes were muddy, even his face showed a few dirty specs and his long, wild hair had been weaved in a long, if rather sloppy, braid.

With an easy-going sigh he eased his step as he neared an intersection.

"Well, well!" he spoke in a rather royal-like voice, to particularly no one, "And immediately now it does seem that the road splits into two," stopping he put down on the floor a heavy-looking rucksack and dusted his hands off before starting to point the two roads alternately, all royal-ness lost in his voice as he sung: "Whi-ich ro-ad sha-all we ta-ake. It sha-all be as the Ki-ing of – "

"Hea-aven tells us…" he stopped short as a second voice joined in the chant, and turned just slightly to see a black-haired girl wearing purple resting against a tree smiling at him in what he thought was the kindest, prettiest smile he had seen in a while.

Turning away from her he crouched on the ground, a hand on his traveling pack. The wind was blowing in his ears and there was no hope for finding anywhere to sleep that night, but he still smiled wistfully at the sky.

"…we sha-all do-o," the Chosen finished with the tune in a murmur, still smiling to himself and almost not wanting to look back, afraid maybe she wouldn't be there anymore, or her smile would've disappeared…

…but he knew that wasn't the case. ""Heh. But at any rate, I was thinking of taking the path to my right. Does that girl standing by the shade of the tree have any problem with it?"

Even without looking he had the feeling she had giggled at him. "Not one."

So he laughed too. "Okay, okay!" in one movement he was up at his feet, placing the bag back on his shoulders. "Off we go!" and finally he turned to face the girl, who was calmly making her way towards him.

_And so, as the wind blows, with nothing on my back… so began my journey,_ Sheena was thinking as she joined Zelos' side. They didn't speak anything, even if there was so much they wanted to say. In silence, they turned and walked down the right-most road. _Along with a good-for-nothing, wild horse… I've been dragged into a rodeo-ride tour._

"Although I think I may just regret it, heh."

"Ah?"

"Nothing in particular. Well then! On our way!"

* * *

**Notes:** So here's the third track. It was my favorite, but then I heard track 4. Isn't it cute? You can't possibly tell me it isn't. I personally think Sheena was in the middle of her days, though. But that doesn't diminish its cuteness.

So how did she catch up to Zelos if he had was like, I don't know, at least a day ahead of her? The answer is simple: she's a ninja. Ninja can do anything. Repeat after me: anything.

In the first ToS Drama CD, called "A Long Time Ago" we first learn that there are still some idiots who follow Yddgrassil and are trying to convince random people to turn into angels so… I don't know what they want to do, Lloyd and Colette stop the bad guy too soon and he doesn't even explain his evil plans. At any rate it means that the Colloyd team is still searching for Expheres.

Thanks a lot for the people who stopped reading Harry Potter (was good, wasn't it?) for long enough to read this and review. Thanks, thanks, thanks! I'm very happy people are liking the story (even if I didn't write it) and the adaptation I'm doing. It'll be up to you to decide – from my point of view, the most OMG chapters are yet to come. Next time I'll post Tracks 4 and 5 because 4 is just a rather sweet monologue from Sheena's POV.

Hope you liked this "track", and do review,

_- WDR_

* * *

Track 4 – _Yubiwa_

Yubiwa.

Yubiwa wo katta.

Onajiku yopparatteita Zelos wa midori-iro no yubiwa erande-katte atashi ni kureta…


	4. Track 4 Ring

**Disclaimer:** If I owned ToS Zelos would've gotten more screentime. Jesus, he should've been allowed to explain his reasons even if you didn't talk to him at Flanoir… but I don't and I'm not claiming to do so, so there.

* * *

**Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology**

**Rodeo Ride Tour**

_A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer_

* * *

**Track Four – **

**Ring**

* * *

Ring.

I bought a ring.

In which city, in which street stall it was I don't remember.

For only 30 Gald, it was almost a toy-like ring. But at that time, I'm not sure why, it looked like a very wonderful thing.

I think it was probably because I had drunk too much.

At any rate, I bought a red and a blue one. As drunk as I was, Zelos picked and bought a green-colored one and gave it to me.

The next morning, my head blurred with the hang-over, I looked at the pair of rings laying next to my pillow and felt my skin crawl.

So I gazed at them and then hurled them into the trash bin.

"Definitely, more than jewelry those are only a bad joke," so said Zelos, laughing as he always does.

That's why I just couldn't tell him that I kept the green one alone: carefully guarded, hidden inside my pocket.

* * *

**Notes:** Since this Track is so short I was thinking of merging it with Track 5, but then for the sake of order I decided to keep it like this and write a bit more about the other Drama CDs and answer a few reviews instead. If you don't care for that, just go read Track 5, which should be already up as well.

After Lloyd and Colette's quick Exphere thing we are treated to a Regal-only short story that I find extremely sweet.

It basically explains how Regal met Alicia and how their relationship flourished… and ended. After a rather difficult time for (young) Regal, he finds a sole flower on his desk, while he had ordered that it was to be a full bouquet. But he is enchanted by the flower and calls the maid who made the arrangement. The girl tells him the flower is called "Presea".

From then on, for almost two years the girl took him a Presea everyday until Regal realizes he doesn't even know the name of the girl, who is of course Alicia and has been working in the company for a loooong time.

And everything was going all pretty until she's killed the way we see in the game.

Now, reviews.

**IGN** – Well, the CD says rather clearly that it was written by the Tales Team of Namco, so well, maybe not canon but you can't deny it does feel nice to be a little official, eh? ˆ-ˆ

**The Zelda Master** – Yep, you must be the biggest fan 'round here, wont try to deny that. I haven't found enough time to read all of your work, but what I have seen I like ˆ-ˆ BTW, I chose to use the Japanese plural for ninja, which is "ninja"… I know in English it'd be "ninjas" but I just can't. It ends up sounding wrong in my head.

**Urby** – Yeah, take that you stup… agh, I had decided I wouldn't insult other pairings… specially not after Track "11". But you are still right.

**Luigimania** – Nope, no narrator except when Sheena starts talking to herself, or to the walls, maybe. And yea, used to browse the BK forums and be a Lyude fangirl 'till I was banned from Japanese sites for translating their work ˆ-ˆ;

**Cute But Psycho** – First reviewer, thanks! I'm glad to know this is interesting enough to keep people up at 3:30 am xP

**kissybear** – yeah, she does and she's so girly about it. She's a contrast, Sheena is. She speaks like a complete tomboy and yet she goes and starts crying over a boy…

**Suzu Fujibayashi** – I was bouncing on my own walls when I first heard them. Always nice to know I'm the only nutjob around here. Er… not implying that er… you are… crazy or something!

**Rufus the Master** – "In all sincerity, I prefer reading this to Harry Potter" that's a really nice thing to hear, really. I kept thinking whether to post or not, imagining 78 of the people wouldn't be around, heh!

**Rouroni Tsuki** – I'll gladly send you the tracks, you just mail me how… as in, IRC server, which channel, that kinda thing.

That's all this time. Needless to say, thanks to everyone else who reviewed. Mother Lotus, SangoGrl64, Scarlet Kratos, Ark Navy, Dreamer Dust and those of you who read without commenting, I'm really glad you are liking this. It seems that many of you specially had already heard about the Drama CDs, which surprises me 'cause I hadn't. You can imagine my surprise (and delight) when I walked into a CD store at Akihabara and the first thing I saw was a big-ass Zelos poster! I almost, very literally, fell down, which scared the many Japanese inside the store…

**Rambling **You may not care about the following, heh! Track 5 should be up.

Now, notes on translation – If any of you are into Baten Kaitos fiction, you might have read another novelization of mine… lately it seems I like to do that kinda thing. But thing is, even if I'm translating the dialogue as exactly as I can, when it comes to emotions and thoughts I have to guess for the most part. As I said in one of the answers above, with the exception of Sheena talking to herself (or to the walls), there's no narrator (although Sheena's POV is favored) so there's no way to know what the characters are thinking most of the time…

…so yeah, sometimes I hear Sheena crying and its mostly obvious that she's sad, but most of the time I have to guide myself by the character's voices alone, which may make this very inaccurate, specially 'cause, needless to say, I'm so biased towards the Sheena/Zelos pairing (which the Japanese call Zeroshii, which is cute) and therefore will search for the slightest clue of emotion and write it down in big, just for the sake of my fandom.

…and I don't know why I'm writing this! I suppose you guys have the right to know. Or something. Well, that ends my existentialistic ramblings regarding the fic. So, you who have been reading up 'till this point, hurry and go read Track 5!

_WDR_


	5. Track 5 That Reminiscent RainSound

**Disclaimer:** There's this company in Japan called Namco, and within it there's this studio called Tales Studio. _They_ own Tales of Symphonia, not I. Sadly.

* * *

**Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology**

**Rodeo Ride Tour**

_A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer_

* * *

**Track Five – **

**That Reminiscent Rain-Sound**

* * *

It had been raining when they woke up and it was still raining now that they were at less of the middle of the trip between towns. How long had they been walking? Sheena wasn't sure of that. They had left the last village in the early morning (Zelos didn't like to stay much time at the same place; whether because he was easily bored or out of fear of an attack he wouldn't say) and had been walking in that wretched rain for quite some time now.

If anyone asked her, it was almost eleven o'clock. If anyone asked the sky it was still six and a half in the morning: there was no sun visible and all the light they had were some grayish, sad sun-beams that barely filtered across the thick layer of clouds.

She had stopped to look at the sky for a few seconds, and looking back down she realized Zelos had stopped as well but it didn't seem as if he was waiting for her.

"Hello there?" he called towards the side of the road, wiping some of his very wet hair away from his eyes, "The punks standing over there. What's with hanging around making scary faces at the middle of a public road? It's annoying for the travelers, you know."

She sighed. So he had sensed them, too. Well, now that they were so far from town, they weren't even trying to hide, anyway…

Several men stepped from the road-sides, quickly surrounding them. Turning her back towards Zelos, Sheena quickly counted the enemies and started walking towards her companion.

"Are you the one they call Tethe'alla's Chosen of Mana?" dryly inquired one of the men, his eyes fixed on Zelos. It was almost a rhetorical question.

Zelos smirked. "If you are going to ask someone's name, shouldn't you give yours first?"

"We have not a name to give you," interrupted a second man, earning a nod from their leader who continued.

"We are only to exterminate that cursed being known as 'Chosen' from this world."

"In order to have a world built upon true peace!" one of the men in the back cheered, raising his sword.

"Volunteers who fight in the name of justice!" another punctuated.

"Hah! Justice, you hear?" Zelos mocked, "Mix it with idiocy and you have the worst combination."

In one quick jump Sheena had her back pressed against Zelos'. "There are eight of them. They have advantage in numbers!" she whispered to him.

"I'll do five of 'em. You get three," the redheaded murmured in return.

"Four. I'll do four!"

"Aw, you don't have to aim for the impossible!"

"Just because I'm a girl, right! You -!"

The Chosen laughed. "I hadn't thought of it 'cause you were a girl though!"

She rolled her eyes and, as if on cue, the two fugitive's traveling cloaks were off and their weapons ready. "Here they come!"

The attackers were not slow to answer. "Forth!" the leader called, drawing his sword. "For the sake of a bright tomorrow!"

"…say!" Zelos turned to her, smiling sheepishly at the sound of eight men drawing weapons.

"What!"

"Now that I think of it, you'd be OK on your own, right?"

"Stop joking around! Here they are!" she launched herself forward as she heard the clash of iron behind her. She hadn't moved much when she felt a sharp pang at her neck, but the pain passed quickly so she ignored it, targeting the man closer to her.

Her cards were poised and ready to attack when the world around her blurred and she fell to the ground.

* * *

It was still raining.

It didn't seem like it would ease any time soon, thought Zelos, smiling wryly at the window and then looking down at the water basin he had in front of himself.

He had taken off his gloves and coat and tried to dry his hair a little, but what was the use if he would get wet as soon as they left? Bah. Stupid rain, no good for his hair.

With a sigh he dipped his headband into the rain-water he had collected and then wrung until it was just humid.

"Here ya go," he said softly to Sheena, who was resting on a rather large bed, while moving her hair out of her forehead and placing the white cloth there.

The girl sighed contently. "Aaah… that feels good," she looked at him with cloudy eyes and smiled. "Thanks."

"Don't worry about it," he smiled as well and motioned to the window, "If it's water you want, just look! As much as you could desire," as if to punctuate his words, the room was illuminated by a momentary flash and a thunder rumbled in the sky. Zelos sighed. "Even now… ain't stopping."

"…pitful…" Sheena's weak voice brought him back to the small wooden room they were in. "Truly…"

"Oh?"

"That I couldn't even… take four men…" she looked up at him, breathing heavily, and closed her eyes. "And then… to just pass out like that…"

Taking back his headband, he got her to open her eyes and smirked. "Ah yes. What a shitty ninja, didn't even recognize when she was poisoned!" again he wet the cloth and again he placed it on her forehead, poking her nose and erasing her frown with that.

"I was truly…" she didn't finish.

"Just be thankful I had a panacea bottle handy and that I was able to find this place, alright? 'Sides, if you sleep a few hours the fever will disappear on its own."

The girl looked around, as if interested by the surrounding cabin, but Zelos knew she was too feverish right now to understand anything. There wasn't much to see anyway: a one-room wooden cabin with an ample bed, an old table, two chairs and an electric oven which didn't look functional anymore.

"Zelos..."

"Mmh?" his answer came out a little bit harsher that he had intended. Whether he wanted to admit it or not he was starting to get annoyed at her…

"Aren't you… hurt?" Yep. Because she was being kind and nice. Because of the fever.

"Heh, idiot… someone with a perfect condition such as I, when faced by morons like those, you think I would even get one wound?" he rested his chin on one of his hands, "Zum-pam-ta-dah! All cleaned up."

She smiled at him and again he felt his stomach twist. That kind of smiles… only because of the fever. It seemed sometimes he could do nothing to earn them in every day's life.

But Zelos Wilder was an accomplished actor; so good in fact that most of the time he kept forgetting to stop acting, so he laughed and continued talking. "You worry too much about other people, you know? You should try to rest a little."

"…I'm sorry," Sheena answered, her voice already turning sleepy. "But to face eight men on your own… it must have been difficult," whatever she had wanted to add was cut off by a fit of coughing.

Zelos smirked in spite of the slightly painful feeling at his chest and stomach. "Sleep."

"…yes…"

" 'Cause your prince will be watching over you, you know?" again he snickered.

She almost laughed as well. "I'll leave it up to you then…"

"Say…"

"Mmh?" this time it went out softer.

"Doesn't this make you… remember?"

Something in the bottom of his stomach said that this wasn't going to be a conversation he could be glad of. "What?"

"That time… it was raining, too…" she turned away from him, sinking slightly into the pillow and closing her eyes. "When we were traveling around the world with Lloyd and the others… I… I don't remember in which city, I got wet in the rain and caught the flu…"

Her chest moved up and down, slowly. Zelos lowered his eyes to his feet. He remembered. "Aah, now that you say so…"

"And you…" she opened her eyes just slightly, smiling playfully at him. "You left me behind and went to the city to play on your own."

"Heh! Ah, man… you are the type to remember that kind of thing, aren't you?"

But she snickered again, if a little bit weakly. "Just that kind of guy, you."

Reaching out to retrieve the white headband once more, Zelos allowed his hand to linger among her hair just enough for him to answer: "Just that kind of guy, I. Didn't you know?"

"Lloyd…!" she opened her eyes now completely, looking at the roof while Zelos twisted the remaining water off the headband, "Lloyd kept watch over me… and then he left to beat some sense into you…"

"Ah, yes…?" he didn't smile. She wasn't looking and he had no reason to smile for himself.

"Everybody was angry…" once more she looked as if she was sinking into the pillow, exhaling and closing her eyes, "I… I understood."

"Sleep," now he smiled, wiping her forehead with the palm of his hand, "Sleep, I'm telling you."

She held onto her hand for an instant. "Mmh. Good night, Zelos…"

As soon as her eyes closed and her breath evened his grin disappeared. He didn't understand. He didn't. Why had he even asked her to come? He wasn't sure. He had only wanted her to come… why when she took his hand his heart had skipped a beat? Why did it almost hurt to think that once the fever was gone she wouldn't touch him like that again?

Bah. Stupid fever, no good for his mind.

He looked at the window. The rain had gotten worse and again he heard a thunder booming far away. Zelos sighed. "Even now… ain't stopping."

* * *

Outside of the cabin the sound of the rain was almost deafening and the raindrops themselves hurt as they fell on his body. He had managed to dry up a little bit while tending to Sheena but it didn't take more than a few seconds outside for him to become even more drenched than before.

"Sorry, sorry!" he called, locking the door behind him and smiling with what he knew was a rather goofy grin, "I've made you wait."

The men outside didn't look as amused as him. But then again, they usually didn't show much emotion when he was around. Besides anger, of course. And he hadn't even hit on their relatives yet.

"Have you finished your business?" the leader asked, half-leaning on his sword.

Zelos grinned, cynical, as he walked towards the terrorist group. Mud stuck to his feet, making it hard to move. "Well, kind of."

"We hope you'll keep your promise," started another, "We gave you enough time to look after the girl in exchange of you –"

"Aw, shut up! I get it, I get it!" the redhead quickly unfastened his shield and withdrew his sword from its sheath, tossing them as far as he could. He was still smirking as they fell with an unceremonious 'plop' on the mud. "Now we're even. Satisfied?"

The leader nodded.

"But you bastards keep your promise too! Whatever happens after this, don't even think of touching the woman inside."

Again, the chief nodded. "We understand. You can die without worries."

"Heh! So you say, but even without a sword I'm pretty awesome, you know."

"Most probably," the man signaled and again the swords were drawn. "Die!"

* * *

The mattress moved and she woke up. Turning to her left she saw Zelos sitting on the bed, as if getting ready to slip in.

He turned to her and smiled. "I'm sorry. Did I wake you up?" he asked softly.

Had she been a little more awake, a little less feverish, she would have noticed he had just changed his clothes and left the old, very wet ones to dry on the chair. She would have noticed, too, that he was pale and tired and that his shirt showed, at some places, small specks of blood.

But she didn't see any of that, or at least not clearly enough for her to even wonder about it.

He smiled at her. "Try to sleep a little more. Good night," he got under the covers now.

"…that's not from before…" she managed to whisper as something caught her eye.

"Yeah," Zelos answered, perhaps too tired to lie.

"That wound…" she reached out to touch his cheek, where a long gash had 'appeared'.

"Yeah?"

"…what happened?" had she been in her right mind, she wouldn't have caressed the cut, she wouldn't have allowed him to take her hand and bury his face there.

"It was nothing," Zelos released her hand and placed it back on the bed. "Sleep now."

"But…"

"I'll get angry if you don't," but he didn't look nor sound as if he was anywhere near anger. "Just sleep.

"…yeah... goodnight, Zelos…"

He turned his back at her and she snuggled inside the covers. Now, at such a close distance she could see he had a few more cuts around his shoulders, and she was also aware of just how warm his body was and that there were only some inches in between…

"Zelos?"

"Mmh?"

"…no… it's nothing."

For a few moments she thought he wouldn't answer and he suddenly looked a bit stiff. But then his figure relaxed and she could hear him saying, just before she drifted to sleep again, "…good night."

* * *

_I felt as if I had been dreaming__… a dream of a far-away rainy day._

_It was the most wonderful dream I could have seen._

_I opened my eyes: the rain had stopped, and sitting on the window-sill I saw Zelos' figure surrounded by the light of a dazzling morning. He looked at me, and said…_

"Good morning… my princess."

* * *

**Notes:** New videogames and books have gotten in the way of my work, which is bad because I don't think I'll be able to update at all once college starts so I want to finish this before.

Anyway, so Zelos' last line is "OMG teH cute!11"… in the original Japanese, I mean. At least for me it was enough to almost melt my fangirl brain… it goes something like "Ohayou-san… o-hime-sama", which basically means "Good morning, my princess" but he just picked the cutest words ever possible.

On another topic, is it just me or that ring from Track 4 is just asking to be made into a fanfiction? Like, Zelos finding the ring, or getting her a real ring which just happens to be green… or something.

Well, since I wrote big notes in track 4 so I'll cut here. Do review, please… translating is not something easy to me mainly becauseit seems my brain wasn't built tomanage three languages, so instead of translating correctly I get all jumbled up and start forgetting words or making up words and mixing grammar, which sucks above all else in the world. There's just nothing I hate more than wanting to say something and realize I've forgotten the word... er, so yeah,

Thanks for reading,

_-WDR_


	6. Track 6 Sky

**Disclaimer: **I've been, like, SO busy lately, that I haven't even remembered to buy the ToS rights. So nope, these people ain't mine nor will ever be, prob'ly.

* * *

**Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology**

**Rodeo Ride Tour**

_A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer_

* * *

**Track Six – **

**Sky**

* * *

Sky.

I was looking at the sunset.

On top of a hill, the night was slowly advancing, making its presence known.

Standing next to Zelos I was gazing at the sun-setting sky.

On top of that hill, our shadows grew long, long, long… stretching over the ground they looked as if they had been carved.

"It's beautiful, isn't it…?" …said I.

Zelos, looking very bored, shrugged and answered "If we don't find an inn we'll have to sleep in the open."

That made me feel very sad, but to look so would be weak so I didn't show it on my face and said only "Yeah, I guess..."

After finding a hostel and finishing dinner, "That sunset from before," Zelos said, "It wasn't bad, I think."

That made me feel very happy, but to look so would be weak too, so I didn't show it on my face and said only "Yeah, I guess…"

* * *

**Notes:** This is the last of Sheena's monologues. I was going to put it up at the same time as Track 7 but I got busy so I decided to post this now instead of two later on the week... I know its short, sorry!

Regarding last track – I don't think Sheena thought it was s dream, she's just confused 'cause she was sleepy and feverish and didn't know what the hell had happened. Like when you try to sleep on an airplane and get confused and get up without knowing just how much time has gone by and what happened around you.

Regarding those who would like to hear the tracks – if you have a gmail account, I can send 'em there, one by one. Each track is around 6-8 minutes long, so they are pretty big. If not, we can try MSN or something.

Regarding this track – I like it 'cause it defines the Zelos/Sheena relationship… he's an idiot who makes "romantic" comments at the worse moments and yet allows a perfectly mushy chance ('cmon, a sunset? And _she_ is the one getting romantic, even) to go by, and she's way too proud to show any of her feelings and therefore offers him no hint as to how she really feels.

Not that Zelos really _really_ shows his feelings either, heh… I was surprised at first that he'd waste such a chance, but then again, maybe its because Sheena's special that he didn't act like he usually does.

In a few days, I hope, "_Saikai_"! With Zelos insulting people because of how they are dressed. If you love him you'll love him, as much as that phrase is redundant.

Thanks for reading, and very sorry for the shortness…!

_WDR_


	7. Track 7 Resume

**Disclaimer:** OMG some characters _besides_ Zelos and Sheena appear here! And they aren't mine either! Aren't you surprised? Yeah, I guessed it.

**Pre-story:** Quick one. I don't know if the "Rock-Paper-Scissors" game has a formal name in English. In Japan they play it "Jan-ken-pon!", which, BTW, doesn't mean Rock-Paper-Scissors at all. So given my ignorance, I've left the original name.

* * *

**Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology**

**Rodeo Ride Tour**

_A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer_

* * *

**Track Seven – **

**Resume**

* * *

The problem about traveling with just two people was that sooner or later you'd find a crossroad. Now, if there were, say, three people, two would say 'left' and one would say 'right' and due to some sort of democracy the group would go left.

But when there were only two and one said 'left' and the other chose 'right' and none wanted to yield you had a problem.

Luckily for all travelers, there's always a quick and painless solution.

"Jan-ken-pon!"

Scissors vs. scissors.

"One-more-time!"

Stone vs. Stone.

"One-" paper vs. paper, "More-" stone vs. stone again, "Time! Time! Time!"

And finally,

"Ah-HA! I win!"

"Man, no faaaair…"

"Haha, _my_ win!"

"He- just wait a – just now, I think you chea- "

"_My_ win!"

"Eeh, yes, but when faced by a draw, the Janken rules say that you can replay only three- "

"_My_ win!"

"…ugh…"

Sheena crossed her arms and smiled smugly. "Stop whining, now."

"…yes m'am."

She smirked broadly. "Well then…!"

* * *

He hadn't thought she'd choose this place. Hadn't she said once she hated it? Then why, oh why had she chosen it? And why had he promised to pay for everything if she won at Janken?

This was the first time he ever regretting visiting Altamira, thought Zelos as the rollercoaster coach approached the fall.

And then they fell. Zelos was probably the only one who didn't scream, but mainly because he had always hated rollercoasters (one of his biggest secrets) and would rather never ride one again in his entire life.

But Sheena seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself. Well, of course: she wasn't being forced to keep her identity a secret, and _her_ hair didn't get all messed up during the rides.

And she wasn't even allowing him to flirt with the bunny girls! Or visit the beach! Man, this sucked.

"Aaaah, that was refreshing!" exclaimed the girl as soon as they stepped out of the rollercoaster, barely stopping to re-arrange her hair before whipping out the Lezareno Amusement Park illustrated map to search for whatever she wanted to ride next. "Last time we were here there weren't so many rides, don't you think? Heh, I guess even amusement parks grow with time! What's this, what? Mmh…?" he was too busy trying to untangle his hair to pay much attention. Not that she was really speaking to him, anyway.

"' _The Altamira Amusement Park closes its gates at ten o'clock. We invite all of the couples to enjoy our electric lights and firework parade…_'? Aah, did you hear that! Eh…? Whaddaya mean, this is only during summers? _No replacement_? So it's not showing anymore? Tch! I wanted to see that… eh… Zelos? Zelos!"

He had wandered off to a nearby fountain and was trying to use the water as a mirror.

"Aaah, geez! How can she be so happy with these _kids_ rides! Aah, I never get a chance to enjoy myself!"

A face appeared next to him. "Hello there!"

"Don't hello there me, missy!"

Sheena stared at him for a second and then smiled, "Could it be that you wanted to spend our time off in some posh place where you were taken care of and that?"

"When I finally get to walk with a girl as pretty as me, couldn't you have picket a more peaceful place…?" the red-headed whined dramatically.

The girl looked about to answer when not far from them a voice called: "Sheena?"

The two of them turned around. A tall, strongly-built man with blue hair was making his way towards them. "Sheena! Could it possibly…?" he stopped in front of them and smiled. "Ah, I knew it! It _is_ you!"

Sheena stared in amazement before smiling brightly.

"Well, if it isn't you…!"

Zelos felt left out of a moment. Then he remembered he was wearing glasses and a dorky sun-hat and was actually happy he hadn't been recognized.

* * *

He had finally been able to ditch the 'costume' and was truthfully starting to feel better. Who wouldn't, really, after having a nice bath and changing his clothes and being invited to a classy restaurant? He had been handed a cup of wine as soon as he entered and it was good stuff, not that _thing_ his groupies sometimes sent that tasted like prune juice with red dye.

"It has been a while!" their host started, a cup equaling Zelos' in his hand, "One year? No, a little more…"

Sheena grinned at the man. "You look healthy, Regal!"

The man had finally ditched the hand-cuffs and the whole convict-like appearance and was now wearing a brown business-like suit. His hair, too, had been trimmed.

"I've hear the rumors regarding the conflicts at Meltokio… it seems that the random terrorist attacks have stopped."

Years of court-training helped Zelos not spit all of his wine. He felt lucky Sheena wasn't drinking anything, because she showed her anxiety as soon as Regal had stopped talking.

"Eh? Aaaaaah, that, that, yeah, that! A-haha… yeah, they've stooooped, right, right…"

Regal arched an eyebrow and Zelos suddenly had the girl's elbow deep inside his ribs. "So we'd better keep secret that you are the one targeted, uh?"

"Indeed," he whispered back. That was one of the reasons he hadn't wanted to visit Altamira, too: too many people, too big of a risk of being attacked, too many innocent lives at stake.

"…is there a problem?" Regal asked, half-leaning across the table.

"Oooh, no, no no problem at all! And that suit, by the way – it just fits you perfectly!"

The man smirked, but shook his head. "It's just an old one."

"Oh, don't be modest," she insisted, and Zelos laughed in his mind, "That's not something the president of the growing Lezareno company should say, isn't it? You look like a high-rank noble… I feel the two of us are kinda out of place, what with our travel-worn clothes, and this is such a -"

"That's a _terrible_ piece of junk, Regal!" the Chosen interrupted, loudly. As he liked to be.

Sheena immediately turned to him, frowning. "Hah?"

"The sleeves and shoulder lines are about to fall apart," he continued, moving his wine cup in slow circles, "There's no softness in the neck and your tie doesn't swell."

"Hey, wait a - "

"It's not fitting for a man of your level, don't you think?"

Sheena slapped his arm in a way that would've passed off as playful if it wasn't because it was so very painful.

"That's too rude, you!"

But Regal almost laughed. "Well, well. It seems that I cannot fool you eyes."

"…eh?"

Zelos grinned, resting his cup on the table. _His_ win. It wasn't that Regal's suit was that terrible, in fact he hadn't been expecting Sheena to notice anything (and she hadn't); but after growing up surrounded by mostly vapid nobles whose talks consisted mostly of insulting other people's attires you just learned to notice those small details.

"You have a keen eyes."

"Well, unlike Miss Someone, I had a good upbringing!" He crossed his arms behind his head, laughing.

Sheena looked positively confused. This explained why she hadn't slapped him silly yet. "Uh… what are you talking about?"

"Lately, Lezareno Company has been going through… times of austerity."

"…austerity?" repeated Sheena. She wasn't very acquainted with a nobleman's words for saying 'me needs money', Zelos thought.

"We're being forced to economize and cut down expenses. To demonstrate so and make common cause even the president must use suits like this one," Regal looked at Sheena's shocked face. "What? Compared to the prisoner's clothes I used to wear, this is almost heaven-sent."

"Ah…" the girl nodded, still looking as though she didn't really get it.

The Chosen stretched, "Buuuut, you know… for the great Lezareno Company to be economizing, what happened, anyway?"

"Mhm," Regal looked aside. Through the windows they could see the amusement park still active, even though the sun had set long before. "So you haven't noticed that? The Altamira Amusement Park entrances have been suffering."

"Mmmh… it didn't really look like that…"

"No," Sheena interceded, "Now that I think of it, didn't we get to ride the rollercoaster without having to line up?

The blue-haired man nodded, solemn. "There is an uneasy atmosphere surrounding this place. 'It's dangerous to be in crowded places', or at least that's what people believe. The terrorist bombing attempt from before decided it: most people believe the amusement park is unsafe and there's little we can do to change their minds," he sighed, "The visitors decrease, and we cannot increase the security any more. Right now, the Altamira Amusement Park is Lezareno's biggest burden."

Zelos cocked his head, "So can't you, like, build a new ride or make the old ones better?"

"That would be my decision. But there are many in the company that oppose. Even worse, there are some who believe the best we can do is close up," it was clear in Regal's somber expression that he, at least, did not desire that in the very least: "But… I don't think like that. The Altamira Amusement Park is not just another facility. It should be considered as… a symbol of… for instance…!"

Seeing Regal couldn't find whatever words he was searching for, Sheena contributed "Peace and prosperity?"

The older man's face lit up. "Yes! Peace… and prosperity!"

* * *

Without much ceremony Zelos flung the bedroom's door open, looking around before allowing Sheena to enter, mainly to piss her off.

"Heeeeeeh! 'I'm afraid I'll have to as you to make do with a king-size bed', " the redheaded mocked Regal's serious voice, "Hah! And here I was thinking we'd get some sort of shabby old thing!" he proceeded to let himself fall face down onto the bed, snuggling into the pillow. "Mmmh…! It's all comfy! Aaaah…" the Chosen sighed, contently, "It feels like ages since I've slept on a nice, soft bed… civilization is so great!"

"Your attention pleaaaaase!" he was startled by his companion's voice and turned around.

"Ah?"

"This line," Sheena started, marking an imaginary streak around the middle of the bed, "This line, see? Following this pattern here, the black one, if I find even _one_ finger across it, I'll kill you! Got it?"

"Wh… c'mon, as if I was a stranger or something!"

"Oh, a stranger you are!"

Zelos bit his lower lip and batted his eyes. " 'But it's so _nice_ to share a room with the great Zelos!', weren't you the one who said that?"

"I said I was _fine_ with it, not that it was _nice_!" the girl crossed her arms, "Regal allowed to stay here for free even though he's all economizing, so don't you get it wrong!"

The Chosen got up from the bed and positioned himself next to the window, all in one flowing, elegant motion. He turned towards the girl and spoke in his smoothest voice, "But look, Sheena…" he pulled the curtains open, "Isn't the _night_-sky wonderful?"

Her eyes opened as she saw that, indeed, there was no more sunlight. "Aaaaaah! Where has my day gone to?"

Zelos laughed. "Hah! Calm down, will ya? Most unfortunately, tonight I don't have any free time to play with you, miss."

"…uh?" Sheena looked surprised. He would've liked to say she also looked dejected, but nope, pure confusion there.

He ignored this and walked towards the desk, bending down to lift a big pile of papers and placing them on the desk. "Up… ok, set…" he opened one of the drawers and got a few pencils out, "Good, good!"

"…what are you doing?" from the bed, Sheena asked.

"As you can see I have copies of various manuscripts and white sheets. Now, what do you think I'll do?" he settled onto the chair.

"…you writing something?"

"Pin-pon!"

* * *

**Notes:** Er, Zelos' last Pin-pon was as in "Yep, just that!". Now, you must all be like "what can be so important that he won't even harass Sheena?" Well, you'll have to wait some days to see what he is writing… you might be surprised. And you'll be amused. I laughed a lot at it.

I had to take… liberties with the dialogue in this chapter. It was difficult 'cause Regal speaks about difficult things and because on the whole it has a lot of "Japanese words and/or grammatical particles that can't be translated at all", for instance Sheena and Zelos' 'discussion' about the bed and the room, almost all of it was based on that… but I think (hope) there aren't many mistakes, though.

Second fic idea here! Sheena said she wanted to see the Lights and Fireworks Parade, but it's only done in summer. wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

Anyway, we're nearing the end of the first disk. Just this and one more track to go… and then there's the free talk, which is basically Onosaka Masaya and Okamura Kimie (Zelos and Sheena's voice actors, respectively) talking about what they think of the CDs and the characters and STUFF. I don't know if I'll write it down, though… depends on whether I feel like it or not, or if people actually ask for it, too.

And then we'll start the Second and last disc.

Thanks to all reviewers, I've felt reassured knowing I'm not the only one that jumps around the room, squeals/screams and figuratively bounces on the walls when I'm exited. And for me there's no bigger happiness than people reading what I write, so yeah, I love all of you _so_ much, you know!

Thanks for reading,

_WDR_

* * *

_Eiyuu, Futatabi_

"Uh, uh…ahhh… eeh… Altamira no shokun! Kono koto dake wa… oboite-oitekure tamae… SEIGI WA…. KATSU!"

"…yare yare…"

* * *


	8. Track 8 Heroes, Once More

**Disclaimer:** I'm not creative today. _Tales of Symphonia_, its characters and the story itself are not of my belonging.

**Pre-story:** My bad, my bad! After re-listening to the last track I suddenly started listening in kanji (don't ask) and discovered two translation mistakes in last chapter. Also, another bad – Sheena _does_ ask whether Zelos was writing a book, but in this case the word "book" should've been translated as just "something". Them mistakes 'ave been corrected, sorry.

Also, this chapter is so, _so_ Japanese.

* * *

**Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology**

**Rodeo Ride Tour**

_A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer_

* * *

**Track Eight – **

**Heroes, Once More**

* * *

Zelos wasn't used to being up so early in the morning.

Regal wasn't used to being shown a big pile of papers in the morning. Not to say his employees were lazy, but reports usually started coming in at around eleven o'clock or even later.

He hadn't expected the Chosen to be handling him reports, either. Of course, that explained why Zelos had asked for the Altamira Amusement Park's yearly economic projections… Regal had assumed that, like many nobles, Zelos was just interested in seeing how 'Lezareno's burden' was doing in case he ever wanted to buy stocks.

But, he realized, he had forgotten Zelos wasn't like 'many nobles'.

"…and this?"

"Aaah, well! For the moment, why don't 'cha just read it, will ya?" the Chosen let himself fall onto a chair in front of the president's desk, yawning loudly and stretching.

Regal leaned back into his own chair, taking the report with him and quickly skimming through the first pages. "Mmmh… are these… a study of the current issues…?"

"You'll get it if you read it," Zelos answered grinning.

"…no, it is not something like that," the man passed a few more pages, stopping suddenly and lifting an eyebrow at the page he was looking. "Just _what_ is this, anyway?"

"That's why I'm telling you to read it already!" the younger man whined, waving his arms around. "Together, at the count of three, fine? Ok, three and – "

The two exclaimed, at the same time "The President of Justice! The Regal Bryant Show!"

After a few instants processing the information, Regal glared at the paper.

"Yeah, I even got a slogan…" Zelos laughed, " 'Altamira Amusement Park – All good kids, join forces with the President and _action_!' ye –"

"I refuse," Regal stated, slamming down the report.

"-ah, gh, why?"

"In any case, I refuse."

"C'mon! The 'Symbol of Peace and Prosperity' is in a big pinch, right? That the boss is person should appear to save the public, ain't that logical?"

"I still refuse."

"But you are a famous hero, you know?" the red-headed grinned, "What's more, a celebrity that rid the world from its misfortune! That would attract people…"

"I _refuse_!"

Zelos didn't pay heed, turning to his side and holding his hands out in front of his face, "Big action! Defeat the villains that want to destroy the park, punch and haaa-"

"I'm telling you I refuse!" Regal yelled now, getting up and slamming his hands down onto the desk. It had the desired effect: instead of talking gibberish, the Chosen was now looking up at him with a rather scared expression. "I'll have you stop joking, too!" he added, sternly.

"Aaah, hahahah…" Zelos attempted to laugh, "It's just that… I really wasn't."

"…uh!"

* * *

The cries of many children filled the air the day after Zelos' 'interview' with Regal. They were attracted by a rather flashy and colorful stage that had been set up in a small garden-like grove at the Altamira Amusement Park.

"Come, come! Be welcome now!" a girl clad in the traditional Bunny outfit was calling, waving at passer-bys. Behind her was standing a man wearing sunglasses and an old hat. "Just for today, free tickets, free!"

"Miss Bunny! Miss Bunny, can I have one please?" a small girl ran up to the young woman, reaching up.

"Of course, here you go!"

The girl laughed and ran back to her mother's side, proudly showing her the ticket. Sheena grinned. In spite of having to dress as a Bunny-girl, she was enjoying herself. Poor Zelos, what with having to conceal himself, he couldn't do much to help with the preparations… but she couldn't complain about him, either. He was being civil and so far hadn't made any lewd comments regarding her outfit and was even making an effort not to look at her chest. Or at least pretending he was making an effort.

She shook her head and readied herself to continue working, taking a deep breath, "The time is today, one o'clock! The place is Altamira Amusement Park's special stage! How will the President of Justice, Regal Bryant, stop the evil-doers who threaten the world! Exploding kicks of justice! Drinks of Justice available close by! _President's Kick_!" she punctuated that kicking at the air.

Zelos yelled, too, behind her, hiding his voice a little, "Once the show is over you can shake hands with the President!"

* * *

Sheena sighed, backstage, finally getting out of her costume. "Aaah, its so hot! Didn't think it'd be this hot…"

A few of the park's workers were standing close by. "Say, excuse me…"

"Uh?"

"…did you really get the boss' permission for this?"

"Yeah…"

* * *

Zelos peeked inside Regal's makeshift dressing room. "Not much left 'till the real deal…!"

The bulky man turned towards him, a little nervous. "Er… yes, could you sit there a moment?"

* * *

"To all the kids, _hi_!"

"Hi!"

A young woman dressed in a bright green skirt with suspenders, white blouse and an equally bright-green hat smiled all too brightly at the gathered public and waved. She got down from the stage and started walking nonchalantly in front of the crowd.

"I want to thank you all for coming today to the 'President of Justice, the Regal Bryant Show'! Thaaaanks!" again she waved at the audience. She was the perfect balance between amusement park animator and kindergarten nanny, only cuter, thought Sheena from behind the stage.

"I think all of you know, but Mr. Regal is a very great man!" the woman continued.

Behind the ninja, Zelos managed to grin loudly and rubbed his hands together. "Full house, full!"

Sheena sighed, "That lady sounds so… entertained, doesn't she?" enthusiastic, too. She was still explaining the kids how great Regal was: a hero from the world unification journey. At least she was keeping it short.

The Chosen smiled at her, apparently realizing that she was a little bit bored at having to keep backstage. "It's a shame we can't even show our faces, I know."

She had to stifle a giggle. Of course he knew, he had always loved attracting attention… and now he was forced to stay under cover. Served him right, she though, noticing at that moment that he had dropped his 'costume' and was wearing his usual pink vest and white pants – so ragged now they couldn't be called anything besides 'travel clothing'. She guessed this meant they would be leaving as soon as the show was over.

"This time, only a stagehand, or a roustabout!"

"Keeeh…"

"Heeey!" Zelos turned around, calling softly, "Master Magnius and the fight crew! Your turn is coming, I think."

'Master Magnius' and 'his followers', also known as 'the Bad Guys' looked up, smiled and got up. "Ok then!"

Outside, the animator had bunched her fist and was dancing on her tip-toes. "We are _so_ lucky! Alright, how about we try calling Master Regal then! One, two, three-and –"

"Stop there, ya!"

The 'bad guys' appearance was a success, shocking most of the kids and some of the parents. The girl wasn't that bad an actress, either: she jumped back and clutched her hands to her chest. "You – you are the terrible enemy of justice, Magnius!"

Sheena didn't say anything but wondered why had the script crew chosen that name. Well, not that the These'allans _knew_ about the real Magnius…

"I'm Master Magnius!" the actor proclaimed, "Hahaha! This place belongs to us now! Y'all," he turned to his underlings, "Go and kidnap the kids that look useful!"

The men saluted exaggeratedly, stamping their feet on the stage, "Yes, Master!", and then proceeded to advance towards the audience putting as scary faces as possible.

Some kids screamed, others laughed and started playing a game of tag with the evil bad guys; most mothers laughed and exhorted their children to take part in the fun.

"Stop right there!" a new voice called from far away, its owner unseen

"Mmh!" 'Magnius' turned around and his minions stopped their chase.

"The symbol of peace and prosperity…" the voice continued, still hidden, "I shall not permit this to go on in peaceful Altamira, Magnius!"

"…who do y'think ya are!" the evil-doer asked, turning around and looking rather silly. "Show yerself!"

"Aaah! There he is!" yelled suddenly a boy among the crowd.

"Ah? Eh? Where?" the closest bad-guy asked, trying to sound as silly as their boss.

"Up there! At the top of the Jet-Stream Coaster!"

And indeed there was Regal, standing at the top of the roller-coaster, dressed in a costume that looked half like his old convict clothes and half like a super-hero. He was feeling almighty weird but still struck the poses Zelos had arranged for him.

"Heaven calls! The Land calls, the People too! To defeat evil, they call me!" this was the hard part – he pushed a button hidden along his waist-line and prepared to jump, "The President of Justice, Regal Bryant! Coming!"

And he jumped. The two small rocket-like propellers strapped to his back guided him slowly but dynamically towards the stage, where he landed in front of 'Magnius'.

"Grr! Whaddaya think ya are, doing that!" he pointed towards the public, "We have hostages, here! Don'cha care about the kids life? Eh?"

Silence followed. Well, Regal said something like "Eer…", but nobody heard it.

"Regal, you can do it!" cried a boy at the back.

"…do ya, eh?"

Regal looked about to laugh.

"…boss!" 'Magnius' was forced to whisper; it seemed Regal wasn't used to be on a stage.

"The boss is nervous, ain't he?" the bad-guy lieutenant murmured from behind.

"Shut up!"

The blue-haired man, however, seemed to have finally gotten hold of his nerves. "Tch! You attack these defenseless families! I shall not allow you to even touch these kids!"

Magnius sighed in relief, pointing towards Regal immediately enough. "Get him!"

Obediently, the actors among the kids rushed towards the stage and towards Regal, who started to fight them as they approached – "_Subsidiaries Middle-Kick_! _Regal Kick_!"

"Aah! It's working, it's working!" Sheena squealed backstage, almost jumping.

"_Of course_ it's working, you! After all, it was _me_ the one who wrote this, y'know!" said Zelos, but he looked just as happy as she. "Whatever you want to do, if you actually involve the public…!"

He stopped. Not far behind them, two men were arguing as heatedly as they could, given they couldn't yell or talk too loudly at all.

"Well what can I do! It's well over the middle already!"

"But if the President got hurt? What then!"

"Hey. What's wrong, you-over-there?" the Chosen asked, turning sharply.

"Er... nothing…"

"Didn't you say something about 'getting hurt'?" Sheena, too, advanced towards the two.

"Er…" the first looked around nervously, "The beams that are being used to support the stage… I think they are a little bit rusted, you see…"

"…rusted?" she exclaimed.

"I – I didn't think they'd get that far in the show…! I'm sorry-"

Sheena would've yelled at him that 'I'm sorry' didn't do any good but she was worried now. "For this to… what can we do, Zelos?"

He almost growled. "There's no way we can stop it now…"

She turned towards the two men again. "Where is it worse?"

The second one answered this time, "The beam that maintains the roof… it's about thirty feet or so of steel."

"Let's stop the show! It could be a complete tragedy!"

Zelos didn't look happy at all. "Ch'! What could we do, anyway! Let's go and try to warn Regal or -"

A sound, almost like a groan, interrupted the Chosen. Both of them though it was a very metallic groan, and not one they liked. One of the men cried out.

"This… this is bad!"

* * *

Meanwhile, the show was still going. It was down to Regal vs. Magnius now. The bad guy backed away, clutching at his side.

"Gggh… what a stubborn pig! It's come down to this now, then! Master Magnius greatest secret; Hell's Bomb!" he changed his tone, now, to just a murmur: "Hey, just remember that you are supposed to get a little beaten at first!"

Seeing his boss nod, he re-assumed his role. "Here I go, Regal! Oooaaaah!"

As if on cue, the iron beam started to give in completely.

"…this sound!" Regal managed to cry, looking up. "…this… it'll be a direct hit!"

By now, most of the public had somehow realized that this wasn't part of the act or that it was indeed a very, very realistic show. Too realistic for their taste. Screams filled the air and people were starting to get up from their seats and trying to run away, which wasn't easy given how many people there were.

And the roof kept giving in, threatening to bury actors and kids alive…

"_Victory…_" a voice was heard amidst the sound of the falling stage, "_...Light Spear!_" like a bullet, Zelos emerged from the side of the stage, hitting the roof with his sword and pushing it backwards and away from the public, so that it fell onto the stage only.

"_Guardian Seal!_" a dome appeared surrounding all of the actors, Sheena in the middle of it. The rubble fell all over them but wasn't able to penetrate the ninja's barrier.

It all happened in less than thirty seconds. Sheena released the barrier, almost falling down because of the strain and Zelos landed near.

"That was close…!" she breathed, struggling to keep her balance.

"…ah… sa-saved…!" one of the secondary actors squeaked.

"Are you alright, Regal?" 'Magnius' asked from the floor, figuring that being the bad-guy, he'd better play along and pretend he was defeated. By falling debris. Or something. Well, he didn't think they could keep the show going though…

"Yes," the blue-haired man got to his feet, "We can say good-bye to the show, however."

"…yeah..."

"Not much to do…" Sheena sighed, glancing at Zelos. He had looked so happy about this, too… but many kids were crying, most parents looked either pale or irate and the stage was ruined…

And then, flashes of recognition started to appear in most people's faces.

"Say… over there…"

"Yes…"

"…the Chosen…?"

"Mommy, is that man…?"

"The Chosen!"

"He was so cool mom!"

"Kyaaa, Chosen!"

"It's the Chosen!"

The ninja couldn't believe it. There had been like a ton of iron falling on their heads and now they were squealing over…!

"Say…" she leaned towards Regal, "Don't ya think this could…?"

"…indeed," the older man smiled, taking one of the microphones that lay on the floor and shoving it into the red-headed man's arms.

"Eh… ar, eh…eew…" Zelos struggled for a second, and then poised one arm forward, silencing the crowd, "Brothers of Altamira!" he pointed at the kids, his eyes traveling all over the crowd, "This, only... I'll have you remember this!" and his arm was raised in the most dramatic pose Sheena had seen in a while, "Justice… WINS!"

And everybody cheered and clapped. A lot. And Zelos grinned and waved. A lot.

"My, my…" regal shook his head, "Somehow we transformed this emergency to our own benefit."

"We should erase ourselves about now!" Sheena grabbed the Chosen's vest, pulling a little, "We'll be found by the _real_ terrorists!"

No answer.

"Zelos!"

"Hm…" he turned his head, smiling like a six-year old, "Just a little more… yes?"

"No!"

* * *

"Good grief, I though I was going to die…"

"Thankfully none of the clients were hurt, eh?"

Evil Minion #2 and Evil Minion #5 were talking as they walked towards the Lezareno Meeting Hall. They hadn't been working at Lezareno Company for long – they were almost newbies, fresh out of the Sybak Academic for Administrative Sciences. In other words, they were pretty young; so maybe that's why they had been chosen to play the part of Evil Minions, even though their forte was economics.

"But say, wasn't it actually fun?" #5 continued, opening the hall's door.

"Ah, well…" #2 took his seat next to #6. #4 and #1 were at the other side of the table but he didn't see #3 yet. Magnius was there, too. "But I wonder what will the President say about this, mmh…"

"Yeah, that kind of thing doesn't suit Master Regal, does it?"

"Ssh! He's coming now,"

Regal entered the room, dressed in his usual business suit. "I've made you wait," he said, formally.

All of the employees (evil minions included) got up and bowed, "Good morning, President!"

"Well, shall we start?" Regal walked to his chair, sitting down.

"Very well," ah, there was #3, standing next to a white-board, "First, we have the figures report for Lezareno Company's past term…"

"No, wait a minute," the boss interrupted,

"…ah?"

"I have a proposition of my own."

"A proposition? Indeed!"

"What would you say of opening a permanent hero show at the amusement park?"

"Aaah, so that's your wish, sir!" collective surprise took the room but no one looked about to complain. "I shall start a cast-search immediate-"

"That shall not be necessary," Regal interrupted.

"…ah?"

"And the unexpected, half-way ending…I'd like to keep it like that, too."

"So that means…"

"I'll do it once more!"

With a gulp, #3 realized that he would have to be #3 once more. From the look on their faces, #4 and #6 had realized this too.

…did this mean they would have to find someone to play the Chosen, too…?

"A-hahah…"

"Is there a problem?"

"Oh, no, no…"

* * *

**Track Nine – Secret Track**

**Free Talk**

* * *

**Onosaka Masaya (OM-Z): **Yes, Zelos Wilder's voice, Onosaka Masaya here.

**Okamura Kimi (OK-S):** Sheena Fujibayashi's voice, Okamura Kimi.

**OM-Z:** Thanks for your work!

**OK-S:** Thanks, too!

**OM-Z: **Yeah, this time…

**OK-S: **Yes?

**OM-Z: **Yeah… we had some… nice scenes, didn't we?

**OK-S: **Ah, we did!

**OM-Z: **Sheena and Zelos… are they that?

**OK-S: **That?

**OM-Z: **You think they'll end up together?

_(Silence)_

**OK-S: **Oooh, don't you wonder!

_(Laughs)_

**OK-S:** Yeah, I mean, even during the game they kind of – always "fighting"…

**OM-Z:** Yeah, yeah, they got along real went, didn't they?

**OK-S:** Yeah, yeah…!

**OM-Z:** But actually, she likes Lloyd, right?

**OK-S:** Ah – but do you think you can say that?

**OM-Z:** Well, that's kind of the impression in the game…

**OK-S:** Well, that's kind of a rule, anyway! _(laughs)_ He… opens his heart…

**OM-Z:** Yeah… and…!

**OK-S:** And…!

**OM-Z:** Lloyd has that girl with wings, right?

**OK-S:** Yeah, he's got that one… say, isn't Zelos so cool?

_(WDR: Yeah he is.)_

**OM-Z:** Today, how was today's I?

**OK-S:** Oh so great! Great, great! The one I got was… a little…!

**OM-Z:** She really had it, didn't she!

**OK-S:** She did, she did!

**OM-Z:** Yeah...

**OK-S:** Yeah, er… I dunno what Sheena'd say, but I –

_(Lotsa laughs)_

**OK-S:** Yeah, I think I delivered.

**OM-Z:** In the end, when Sheena has her weak moments…

**OK-S:** I know…!

**OM-Z:** He's always acting and saying dumb things and stuff, but when she's hurt he becomes a really kind man…

**OK-S:** Yes, yes… it fits him so well, doesn't it?

**OM-Z:** Doesn't it?

**OK-S:** Yeah, with girls he…

**OM-Z:** He's really a nice boy, but… Zelos, really… it's just that he hadn't been the main character yet!

_(Laughs)_

_(WDR: About time, too!)_

**OK-S: **So it was because of that!

**OM-Z:** Well, but he had his flukies, right?

**OK-S:** Well yeah, but one of those girls wouldn't become his partner, right…? Of Zelos, I mean…

**OM-Z:** Mmh, yeah, I think so… I mean, they do when he's lonely…

**OK-S:** Lift his spirits, mmh…

**OM-Z:** As when he feels he's to blame… y'know, as a Chosen…

**OK-S:** _(Variety of assenting noises)_

**OM-Z:** Well, that's all fine, ain't it!

_(Laughs)_

**OK-S:** Perfectly, perfectly!

**OM-Z:** Well then! So the sequel!

**OK-S:** The sequel is!

**OM-Z:** Unbelievable!

**OK-S:** Unbelievable!

**OM-Z:** A great incident!

**OK-S:** Will happen!

**OM-Z:** …it may!

**OK-S:** …that's great!

**OM-Z:** Yeah, I thought we'd close it this time, but only Regal was closed, ne?

**The Two:** Neeeeeeee!

**OM-Z:** sing along Who would –

**OK-S:** -have though/sing along

**OM-Z:** Yeah, anyway, the sequel…

**OK-K:** Yes?

**OM-Z:** Again, the cast of characters will grow!

**OK-S:** Yeah!

**OM-Z:** Some things will happen!

**OK-S:** Will they!

**OM-Z:** …….and there I'll be so cool again!

**OK-S:** …so cool?

**OM-Z:** If I don't… I think I'll be beaten!

**OK-S:** _(Laughs)_ All of you too, at all costs!

**OM-Z:** Yeah.

**OK-S:** The sequel, too…

**OM-Z:** Yeah.

**OK-S:** Please look forward to it.

**OM-Z:** Then say something for the fans…

**OK-S:** Yes! Er… the sequel will be something really amazing… I think!

**OM-Z:** _(Laughs)_

**OK-S:** Well, I hope so, then! So yes, all of you who heard this please wait for the sequel, too!

**OM-Z:** Yes, yes! Yeah, yeah, the sequel… so-cool Zelos will have lots of action.

**OK-S:** _(Giggles)_

**OM-Z:** He'll show us all of his moves!

**OK-S:** That's great!

**OM-Z:** Yeah… _(sings)_ It'd be really nice if I had those action sceeeeenes…

**OK-S:** See you next time theeeeen!

**OM-Z:** Yah, please listen… well then!

**The Two:** BAI-BAI!

* * *

**Notes:** I love Onosaka Masaya. He's damned funny. Next time I'm in Japan I'll make it a project to stalk him or something. He sounds almost hysterical when saying Bye-bye at the end.

It's funny how Japanese girls seem to love Zelos to the point of thinking him _so_ cool. In another Drama CD, both Okamura Kimi and Colette's voice actress admit that they'd pick Zelos over Lloyd any day, 'cause he's so cool… er, I fangirl, I not blame them, but Zelos (specially with his Japanese voice) can be almost ditzy sometimes, heh.

Aaaaaaaanyway, this wraps up the first part of the Rodeo Ride Tour anthology. I bought it on May 28, the conclusion/sequel was scheduled to ship on June 26, the day I was _leaving_ Tokyo. And these things ain't easy to find! So I got up early, turned in my keys and carried all of my luggage around Akihabara in search of the sequel.

Never before had a material possession made me so happy.

And you, dear readers, won't have to wait a full month to hear, er, read the sequel! College starts this week so I'll be able to post a Track per week at most, but still!

Regarding this chapter… the little show Zelos mounts is so, so Japanese. I actually went to a lot of these with my Japanese family… there was a four year old boy there, so that kind of outings became normal. So Track 8 might not be so good for many of you but it had me rolling on the floor with laugher.

Now, I'd like to answer a few reviews, too… _if you, readers, would like to help me, **please** review or mail me and tell me which track so far have you liked better._ Knowing that, I can try and shape the oncoming tracks to fit that. With that said, reviews!

**Kanki:** I'm glad you are liking this! Sadly, no Colloyd Drama CD has been released so far, and the one in which they actually star is much more action-based… I was surprised that the Zeroshii anthology was released first, given how Lloyd and Colette are the heroes…

**StrawberryEggs:** Whoa, you mean I actually kind of changed your couple priorities! Man, I feel all special now xD And yeah, I know! We need these things made into OVAs or something so we can scream at the TV set until our younger brother comes and yells about what an embarrassing sister we make… or maybe that's just me. But hey, Tales of Symphonia was released both on the GC and on the PS2 in Japan, _it has way more fan-base than the ones before._ And given how there's a Tales of Eternia animation and how they are, right now, animating Tales of Phantasia, I'd say we'll get a Tales of Symphonia OVA or TV series sometime soon! Or so I hope- Wish. Desire, and so forth -

**Urby:** Aaah, you so mean! Could you e-mail me the link to the illustrated version or something? My brain hasn't imploded enough lately! And thanks for including me to your list of worship and I hope that, if you burned something, it wasn't a wall. They aren't easy to put off, I know that at least.

**DreamerDust:** Don't worry about bothering me with e-mails, I never mind them, heh, specially when they have those nice attachments you sent… er, yeah!

**Suzu Fujibayashi:** Whee, you have like, reviewed every chapter!- I think that if Zelos had actually gotten any sleep that night he would've woken up with at least six bruises… he must move a lot during his sleep, I mean, and he'd end up touching Sheena at some time… quite innocently, of course. And if you can, could you send me the link to that fanart or something, yes?

**Kissybear:** Unfortunately, it seems Zelos isn't very romantic at all and decided to write a kid's play instead. Meh, right?

**Luigimania:** Don't you wonder why the American and the Japanese voices are so different? Regal sounds so much grown-up in Japanese, while Zelos sounds like a complete teen… weird, huh?

**The Zelda Master:** I finally have time to read your pre-game fic, whee! - I'll review later. And I hadn't really noticed but you are right, Sheena's kind of the dominant one here… er, I don't think Zelos would mind, though… er… yeah. Yeah.

Ok, that's all for right now 'cause I don't have _that_ much free time. Given how this represents a break in between Disks, please review and say what do you think of the whole thing so far!

Cheers,

_WDR_


	9. 2 Track 1 Proclaim that Name!

**Tales of Symphonia:**

**Rodeo Ride Tour**

* * *

**Notes: **Finally onto the second disk! Now my dear readers, tell me - _are you ready for the angst?_ Yes, WDR, we are ready for the angst!

Ok, so Namco's angst is still nothing compared to most fanfictions out there but from my point of view things get a little more tense from now on.

By the way, Winged Dancer is not responsible for any stomach-aches caused by the first two chapters. Well _I_ got one when I first head the two tracks, but then again I'm completely crazy. This chapter is a little slow; as the other first chapter it serves as an introduction.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Tales of Symphonia license, the Rodeo Ride Tour license, the characters of Zelos Wilder, Sheena Fujibayashi, Orochi or any other that might appear.

* * *

**Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology**

**Rodeo Ride Tour – The Latter Part**

_A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer_

* * *

**Track One –**

**Proclaim that Name!**

* * *

Some would say that the air can't become crowded. But there was a small village, just next to the coastline, that proved that it could.

It wasn't very big, but it was thriving and growing by the day. It had been formed just before the Unification, towards the North of Sylvarant, and had been one of the firsts places that started trading with Sylvarant. It was also so small it didn't even attract the authorities, and therefore it was sometimes used by criminals who wanted to leave the continent or smuggle good of various kinds.

That morning the air was crowded.

It smelt of salt and humidity and sea-weed and it was full of sounds and activity. The cry of the seagulls, the constant breaking of the waves against the sand, the voices of many people going about their daily business, living their daily lives: it had become so hot lately, hadn't it? Yes, it had, and have you heard about…? Yes, that was so funny! And the latest trend from Meltokio, but who cares about dresses? I heard that they had a new show at Altamira…

A man dressed in an outfit much too hot for the current weather sat at a improvised counter next to the docks. He looked tired even if it was still the early morning.

"Alright.. next!" he called.

A swarthy, short man stepped forward. Back at Meltokio the young officer would've distrusted him just by that, but after two or three months of working at the harbor he had come to understand that most sailors looked like that.

"Heheh! With pleasure," the sailor in question smiled and handed him a paper.

The officer looked through it. He had been doing that for a while now, it was a tedious job and his uniform was almost smothering him.

"Hmmm… so the ship's the Swordfish, Captain's Ged Blue," he passed to the next page, "The cargo is fish and cooking utensils. It seems there's no problem," he took a seal and stamped it on the front page, handing the papers back to the man. "OK, you are free to go."

The sailor looked surprised for a second; he looked around and then leaned over the table. "Say, whats' goin' on? Seems these days they've tightened the security on every harbor! Did sumthin' happen?

"Ah, well…" the officer sighed, "I don't know very well, but orders came from Meltokio that…" he caught himself and straightened up. "Well, it is not a problem for a sea-trader like you. You are holding the line, hurry up and move."

The man smiled in an altogether not-so-friendly way but moved and started walking back to the town. "Thanks for your efforts, mister!"

"He-hey! You are going back to… are you transporting people as well!"

"Ah – yeah! I've got four of my crew waiting at the inn…!"

* * *

Back in town, away from the noisy harbor, one of the inn's windows was open. Giggles could be heard coming from the inside.

"Aaah, what are you saying!"

More giggles.

"But even so… aaah…!" a girl in her late teens sighed theatrically, "I feel so very nervous now!"

"Ooh, 'I feel so very nervous now!'," another girl mocked, laughing a little, "You are sounding like a fairy-tale princess!"

The four girls giggled again.

"But, but!" the 'princess' re-started, "We aren't just plain village-girls anymore!" she took her hands to her face and closed her eyes. "We are going to be the Chosen's… the Great Chosen of Tethe'alla's Ladies in Waiting!"

"Aaaah…!" the four sighed together, and then squealed, in cue: "Master Zelos!"

They weren't exactly the better-looking girls in Sylvarant, but that's not to say they were ugly. They were just four girls dressed in simple peasant attires because that's what they had been for most of their life. Then the worlds had united and they had started hearing rumors about the other world's Chosen: he was a handsome, charitable man, a charming hero straight out of most girls' fantasies.

So each of them had jumped at the chance to become the Great Chosen's servants.

"Ah, but, but!" one of the girls cried, coming out of whatever Zelos-induced daydream she had been in, "Are we gonna be alright with these shabby dresses?"

"Don't worry, don't worry!" the eldest one replied, "I'm sure Master Gifford will have new ones ready for us!"

The door opened and the man in question entered the room. He was tall and good-looking in a mysterious sort of the way.

"I've made you wait, I'm afraid," he said, elegantly brushing his cape aside, "Our ship has finally arrived."

"It's here!"

"Oooh, I'm so nervous!"

Gifford moved aside and a about five or six more men entered the room.

"This man here," their temporary 'Master' politely waved at one of the men, "Is Captain Gedd and the rest of the crew. "They will be the ones to kindly guide us to our destination."

Captain Gedd stepped forwards and made a clumsy bow, but given how clumsily the girls curtsied back they probably didn't notice. "My dear young ladies, it is a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is ours," the girls replied as one.

"I'm sure you are all ready to leave?" asked Gifford, looking around at the room.

"Yes, Master Gifford!"

"Very well, very well!" he moved 'till he was facing the girls "You shall, from now on, helping manage all of the Great Chosen's business. All that you are asked to perform must be done promptly and without complains."

"In a jiffy, sir!" one girl exclaimed, all smiles.

"Well my, my!" Gifford laughed, "It seems that I shall have to lecture you in the language of the high society during the trip."

The girls giggled loudly.

"Very well. Now do gather your bags and we shall be ready to leave."

The girls (still giggling) started running around the room, picking up their many small travel-bags. The 'captain' leaned towards Gifford, eyeing the girls almost greedily.

"I dunno why you got these ones, tho'," he whispered, "There are plenty of better-looing ones, I've seen!" he snickered.

"I prefer to take the ordinary," Gifford was quick to answer, "Although I wonder if we'll be able to sell them…?"

He had barely finished that sentence when the door swung open and a man stamped into the room, anger written all over his face, "Wait!" he walked towards the center of the room, "Give Mia back!"

"Bro…brother…" one of the girls, brown hair picked into a ponytail, dropped her bags to the floor.

"Mia!"

"You! Get a hold of him!" the captain ordered and soon his men were all holding the newcomer back.

"Wa- hey – lemme go – you!"

"Stop it! Please let go of him!" the girl pleaded.

Gifford arched an eyebrow. "You… could you possibly be Miss Mia's family?"

"Yes, I am!" the man answered, still struggling, "I've come to get my sister back!"

"Why, but the way you put it is so rude! It makes it sound, in fact, as if I had kidnapped your sister. Oh, do release him."

"Well, isn't that how it was though!" he rubbed one of his arms, "Taking her out of the village in secret without telling her family… let's go back, Mia!"

The girl stepped back, eyes darting around.

"Mia."

Her answer was barely a whisper: "No…"

"Mia!"

"No, no, I'm not going back!" the girl exploded, glaring at her brother, "To that back-water, stupid village… you think I'd want to go back! Working at the fields morning to night, getting caked with mud… I don't want such a miserable life, brother! I'm going to the city and I'll become the Chosen's attendant… that's a life anyone can be proud of!"

"That's all a bunch of lies!" the man answered, now calmer, "The Chosen left Meltokio suddenly and even now nobody knows where he is! This man is not the 'attendant scout' he claims!"

"Eh…? Is that… true…?" the girls looked at each other, suddenly getting a little afraid.

"Yeah, it seems this was kept a secret outside of Meltokio or something but a traveler explained it to me."

"No… that can't be true…" Mia started shaking her head.

"Now, what foolishness are you saying?" Gifford stepped forward, "If you think about it, that so-called 'secret information'… why would a simple traveler know of this? And even more, can the words of a 'traveler' be trusted? For instance," the man reached into his cape now, "This contract in which the Honorable Chosen's signature can be seen. Now, this is something that you cannot doubt, I'm afraid," he ended, turning towards the girl's brother.

The man, worrying as he was, didn't realized no one in the room had ever seen the Chosen's signature before. "But… but the boy said that it was true, that the –"

"Why don'cha bring that boy here then, uh!" one of the sailors yelled from behind, the rest of them quickly agreeing.

Gifford smiled, putting the document away, "I'm sorry to hurt your feelings, but shouldn't you be thinking about your sister's welfare, now?" dramatically, he opened his arms, "If you truly love your sister, then –"

"Love, you say?"

Everybody turned towards the interruption. A man, covered in an old beige cape, was leaning on the door frame looking straight at Gifford. His red hair had been pulled up in the sloppiest pony-tail possible and his face was stained with coal and Goddess-knew what else; he looked as if he hadn't bathed in at least two weeks. No one had paid him any mind 'till now, taking him to be one of the sailors.

"Hm. Love, mh?" he got up from his position, covering the exit.

"Hey, you… what'ccha think you doing!" one of the men started.

"Love, you know!" the red-haired sailor kept on going, "Means keeping in mind your partner's feelings, and wish for your affection's best. It ain't a word for the likes of you to be using lightly, I think!"

"…Captain," Gifford seethed, tired of the many interruptions so far, "And this man, just who…?"

"I…! He – he was lounging around the port and he said he wanted a job and… hey, you!" he took one of the redheaded's shoulder, "I – I don't know what kind of treason you tryin' to do but –"

He got no further as the man's elbow connected to his face and fell to the floor, unconscious. The girls squealed, scared, and the rest of the sailors surrounded the man, who simply brushed his hair off his face.

When he spoke it sounded almost as if he was whining. "Well, it's not as if he had a nice face before or anything!"

"You…! Who do you think you are!" Gifford cried and the man turned his face towards him.

"Hm…. Some times, I am the man lounging at the port looking for a job…" he started, dramatically, "Some other times I am Love's Warrior. And yet some other times I am the traveler from Meltokio."

"It's...!" Mia's brother cried as recognition kicked in.

"But!" the redheaded wasn't done, "In truth, I – gaaaaghth!" the door swung open, interrupting the dramatic monologue and pushing the man forward.

A black-haired girl, as grubby-looking as the man, stepped in. "I'm done with the ones inside the boat, Zelos!"

"Aaaah, you ruined it!" the man stamped his feet on the floor, looking about to throw a tantrum.

Gifford, however, didn't look as if he cared about the ruined monologue. "Ze… Zelos – Zelos Wilder!"

"Zelos….?

"Master Zelos…?"

"You mean that's…?"

"There… there's no way!"

Gifford started laughing. "Hahahahahah… you mean to tell us, with that face, that you are the 'charming' Chosen? That's ridiculous!"

"Now, look, look!" the man turned at the girl, pointing at his face, "That's why I told you! If I arrived with my face stained like this, how was I supposed to face them?"

"Whaaat! You were the one having the most fun, weren't you!"

"Shut up!" 'Master' Gifford cried, "If you claim to be the Chosen, show us proof of that! _Proof_!"

"Fine with me, Mr. Handsome!" he answered, flinging his shawl away and showing, at the base of his neck-line, a glittering jewel. "Only two of these in the world, y'know."

The response was immediate. "_Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!_"

"Alright, my hunnies! The Great I is here, so there's nothing to fear now! Feel free to fly to my manly che-"

"Alright, you Mister Gifford!" the black-haired girl interrupted, planting herself in front of the Chosen. "You are accused of forging the Chosen's signature to abduct young girls to sell as servants! And we've got all of it proved, too!" from her pink sash she extracted a few worn papers.

Gifford, however, didn't seem to be listening. "Who would've… that the Chosen, himself, was in such a city… aaah, kill him!"

All of the remaining sailors launched themselves at the Chosen, but they weren't able to even close in before the air around the redheaded flared up and they were enveloped in a spell.

"Judgment… has been placed."

As the men dropped to the floor, the girls' eyes were wide in admiration. "One, two and…"

"_Master Zelos!_"

"Aah… aaaah!"

"Gyaaaa-h!"

Before anyone could react, Gifford had lunged and grabbed Mia.

"Let me go! Let me go!"

"Damn! You all, step aside!" Sheena cried, placing herself in front of the rest of the girls.

"Shut up!" from his belt Gifford produced a dagger which he placed at the girl's neck, "All of you! Don't even move or I'll kill the girl…"

The Chosen smiled wryly, arms behind his head. "Man, this is quite a pinch, ain't it?" Gifford laughed and Zelos smiled once more. "Er, I wasn't talking about me, really. I meant you."

As if on cue, the girl's brother pounced from the side, knocking the dagger away and bringing the man down to the floor.

"Mia! Get away!"

"Brother!"

"Let – let me go! I'll kill you!" Gifford cried from the floor, but it was pretty clear who had the upper hand now.

"Chosen! Please help my brother!" the girl clung to Zelos' vest, pleading.

The Chosen, however, was too entertained looking at the fight.

"Eh?"

"Chosen, please!"

"It's just that there's no need for me to take part," Zelos shrugged his shoulders.

"…eh?"

The girl looked back at the two men. Her brother was punching with such strength and speed that Gifford wasn't even able to answer the hits.

"See?" Zelos continued, "Working at the fields morning to night, getting caked with mud… I don't see what's so miserable about that. Isn't he being terribly great?"

"You… apologize!" the man was yelling in between punches, "I'm not stopping 'till you do!" but Gifford wasn't moving much by then.

"…stop…" Mia squeaked, "That's enough, brother! He's gonna die! Brother!" Mia hugged her brother from behind in an effort to stop him. She was crying. "I'm sorry, brother… I'm sorry…"

* * *

"Step back, don't push!"

"Back, people, back!"

Mia and her brother, whose name he said was Jim, were being accompanied by one of the many harbor cops that had arrived to the town shortly after the Chosen had unveiled himself. The crew of the Swordfish and its captain had been identified as wanted smugglers and were now being taken into provisional confinement.

"I –I only agreed to carry the luggage! I'm not guilty, I'm tellin' you I –"

"Y-yeah, me too! We – we were tricked by that man!" the sailors kept trying to defend themselves.

"Shut up! We've got plenty of proof! Quite your yapping and move… you all, escort them all!" the chief inspector ordered before turning towards Jim and Mia, who among the other girls was the only one who had managed to stop crying.

"You alright, Mia?"

"Yes… say, bro…?"

"Yes?"

"…thanks."

He smiled at her, a little tired but happy all the same. "Yes."

The chief smiled at him. "Ah! So it's you we have to thank, right? Well, there are some things I'd like to hear from you, of course…"

"Ah, no… I mean, I don't think I did anything worth mentioning, sir," the young man interrupted, "It was all the Chosen's…"

The man arched an eyebrow in disbelief. "The Chosen?"

"Yes, he's over…oh…" where previously the Chosen and his black-haired companion had been standing there was nothing but a few seagulls picking at the remains of an old fish.

The chief grinned and patted his shoulder. "What are you saying, young man?"

"Ah, well, it was… it was nothing, sir."

Mia looked down and smiled. "Thanks… Master Zelos."

* * *

Relatively far from the town a hay-filled wooden cart moved slowly. Its owner and driver, an old man whose face was shadowed by an old straw hat, was singing in a broken voice:

"_The destination, I don't know… hi-ho… hi-ho… But I've mounted my steed… hi-ho… hi-ho…I don't know the ends of the world, but… even then, tomorrow will still come…_"

"…aww, c'mon, mister! Cut us some slack with that song already, will ya!" from the back of the cart, almost hidden amongst the hay, a red-haired young man tried to stand on top of the cargo.

The man laughed. "I'm letting ya ride for free, so bear with it! _...The destination, I don't know… hi-ho… hi-ho…_"

The redheaded failed in his attempt to stand and fell down onto the hay, spitting at random and trying to clean his face with his even dirtier hands. "Pft, gah, it's gotten even into my mouth - !"

"You couldn't be expecting luxury, heh," next to him, reclining onto the hay was a black-haired girl. "This way we can reach the next city before the day ends," she stretched her arms towards the sky, "Aah, we worked quite some today!"

"Heh! Didn't we?"

A few moments passed in silence as the two travelers stared up at the slowly-darkening sky.

"It was really nice, wasn't it?" the girl broke the silence after a few seconds.

"Wha?"

"Those two…"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Ah well… but I took all of the nice moments, though."

"To have people who care that much about you…" she ignored him, "It must be so nice to have siblings…!"

"Hah! Don't even say that… there are some, like my sister for instance, who are completely and absolutely not cute at all."

"There you go again with that!"

"Ah! I know!" he turned to face her with a goofy grin pasted on his face, "From today on, you may call me 'Great Darling Brother'."

Immediately enough she snorted and started laughing. "Pfft, you idiot!"

* * *

…_the way we are, right now… why don't we just escape to some other place…?_

"I open my eyes and see the roof I'm used to seeing… Mizuho's everyday morning… I do that and I know that that trip is over.

Why is it…?

I hold onto my heart that hurts just a little and I think… that travel… what was it for me…?"

_Tales of Symphonia… Rodeo Ride Tour_

* * *

**Notes:** …this ain't my favorite Track, by far. It… wastes precious Zeroshii time with some guys I don't care about and… uh, yeah. Both this one and the next one left me with a… bad after-taste, if you can understand that.

Aaaanyway, so that's the first track from the second CD. As I said before, it serves to set the tone that the whole thing will carry… this CDs theme is quite clear up there, or at least it's clear to me who had heard the whole thing already, heh. You must have noticed, too, that we have again that last bit – it's exactly the same as in the first disk and no, you aren't supposed to understand it yet. Just a whee more!

Before I forget, it seems the Japanese side of the fandom will be holding a party in honor of our favorite Chosen – Colette! No, actually, it's Zelos. The party is called "Ore-sama no Ai da", or "It's My Love!" in English… it's dated around September and needless to say I'm _completely_ pissed I'm not gone be there…

I'd like to say something here – I've gotten busy all of sudden with college (lots of readings to do) so _I don't think I'll have time to grammar-check these things thoroughly_. I think my spelling's fine but I'm aware my grammar has its ups and downs… and I just don't have time anymore to check that, so sorry about any weird sentences you might find here or from now on… on the bright side I'm, for the first time in my life, learning English grammar! Those things called "nouns", for instance? And prounouns and clauses and stuff? Never heard of them and now I'll be learning their correct use… never thought I'd say I'm happy to be learning grammar.

That being said, hope you liked, even if it's just an introduction,

_WDR_

* * *

_Ano Hi Kara_

"Mattaku... ima sara... sou, sonna no ima sara no hanashi da..."


	10. 2 Track 2 From that Day On

**Disclaimer:** As the cast once more grows I insult Namco and cry "The characters and plot of this story don't belong to me!", for if I owned them things would've been different...

**Notes: **From now on, anything in _italics_ (other then when emphasizing) will be Sheena narrating stuff. Also, a few flashbacks here but I _hate_ writing "Flashback" before the flashback so they are not signaled. Use that artsy head of yours to figure them out.

* * *

**Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology**

**Rodeo Ride Tour**

_A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer_

* * *

**Track Two – **

**From That Day On**

* * *

Nights in Sylvarant were usually a bit hotter than in Tethe'alla. Modern scientists argued about the reasons (amazing people at how fast scientists started to argue about new things); some said it was mainly because of the influence of Triet, some that it was because Sylvarant was positioned towards the south of the new world of Symphonia.

Most people didn't really care.

The fact was that even though September was already close the nights were still hot and sticky with humidity, barely starting to cool down. They were still, with no wind to rustle the leaves and almost no sound besides the cry of many crickets.

"_A-woooo!_" and a dog-like howl.

A young man dressed in red sighed. "Don't you whine like that, Noishe…! I'll get all lonely too."

The creature laying next to him looked up and whined as if to say "I know but I feel sad, what can I do?". The boy smiled for an instant and then sighed, staring into the fire for a few long seconds. That night it was only him and the 'dog'…

"Alright then," he got up, shaking his head, "That's that... lets head back and have some dinner, how about it?"

Noishe eyed the man lazily before its ears twitched. Getting up it started to bark at the darkness that surrounded them.

"Ah? What's wrong, Noishe?"

A voice called from among the trees where two figures were running towards him. "Heeeeeeeey!" it called. It was a female.

"…eh?" he raised an eyebrow. Perhaps there was some traveler in problems?

The second call belonged to a man. "Heeeeey, Llooooyd!"

"Uh? Hey, that voice is…!"

* * *

"You look healthy, Lloyd!"

"If you took the health out of me, what would be left anyway?" the two men laughed, Zelos' voice resounding above Lloyd's. Was it her or was he being even louder than usual?

"No mistake about that!"

…nah, it was her.

"So is your journey to search the Expheares over?"

"No, we just decided to come back for a while," the brown-haired man grinned, " 'Sides, I got careless and one of my legs started to hurt…"

"Are you alright now?" Sheena asked, sounding perhaps more worried than she had meant to .

"Yeah! It's doing pretty well now."

From the side of the road a man called at them. "Heeey, Lloyd! How about takin' some carrots with ya!"

"Thanks, mister! I'll go pick 'em up tomorrow!"

"We'll be waitin'!" they kept on walking as Lloyd waved good-bye to the man in the pasture. The lights of the many houses in Iselia shined at the other side of the field.

Zelos sighed a little. "Iselia, mh? All of the damage done by those Desians has been pretty much mended."

"There are new people, new fields, new houses," Lloyd explained, and Sheena noticed that he looked sincerely happy and a smile started to appear on her lips, freezing for an instant when she realized that she was happy _because_ he was happy. So she smiled.

"But, y'know… besides thaaaat…" Lloyd ran a little ahead and turned to face them, shooting the two a devious little grin (or as devious as it could be coming from Lloyd). "Traveling just the two of you, mmmh?"

"…mh?"

"Must be fun, heh!"

…Oooh, the two thought as they caught on. They looked at each other and then shrugged, saying, at the same time and the same tone, "Naah."

"…," said Lloyd.

They glared at the other and said "Naaah!" again at the same time, same voice, same tone.

"Aaah.. er…"

"Aah, besides that, Colette, where's my dear Colette?" Zelos interrupted, his entire being managing to be an uncomfortable smile.

"Eh..? Ah, well, she isn't here right now."

"…she isn't here?" it was the redheaded's turn to look confused.

"Lately she's been visiting the neighboring villages, teaching the kids. You know, in exchange of the Professor, who hasn't returned…"

"Heeeeh!"

"Ah, I see," Zelos exclaimed slyly, with the difference that he managed that look with much more ease than Lloyd would ever, "So that's why you were looking all lonely in front of the village, sighing alone in the dusk?"

Lloyd instantly turned so red it was obvious even in the darkness. " Wha – no! I – you!" he turned around, scoffing a little. "Well, we are almost there anyway! Actually, we're here! My dad's gone for a few days, too, so we have the place to ourselves!"

As Lloyd headed into the house with loud steps, Zelos leaned over towards his usual companion.

"Bet you're feeling that old ember burn anew, ain't ya?" he whispered.

Sheena was sincerely taken by surprise. "Eh?"

"You – and – Lloyd."

Her response was immediate. "Pft, are you stupid?"

The Chosen laughed louder than she hadn't hear him do in a long while and walked into the house. "Comin', comin'…! Aaah, what's with this bear rug anyways! Heey, Lloyd, what's the idea…?"

"It's cool, ain't it!"

"Er – erm – ah, well, I guess that kinda, in a sense…"

But Sheena didn't really hear that exchange, her eyes staring at the floor but looking much, much farther.

* * *

_Really… right now… yes, what's the point of bringing that up?_

"Wait!"

"…what's that?"

"Is she one of your friends, Lloyd?"

"Dunno."

"Is there anyone called the Chosen of Mana in here?"

"Ah! That would be me!"

"I'll have your life then!"

_That day… from the day I met him for the first time Lloyd was always with Colette._

"You know… it's just that I have always begrudged my ability to make pacts with the spirits… it was because my own lack of skills that many people in the village were killed… Orochi and Kuchinawa's parents died, too… and the Chief fell into a sleep from which he can't wake up… and my first friend ever, Corrine…"

"Heh, cheer up you! It's because you are gathering the spirits for us that we have been able to defeat the Cardinals!"

"But all that happened now, too, it's because of my doing pacts with the spirits!"

"That's… well, that's the Renegades!"

"…eh!"

"That's what the Renegades would say, so don't listen to them!"

"…heh…heheh…hahahahahahaha!"

"…he-hey, what's with that!"

_...Lloyd was always kind._

"You… if you had never been born, everyone would be able to lead a peaceful, happy life. Yes… you are the plague that murdered my people!"

And she tried to run, away from the hole and... "I… I!"

"Poor thing. So unfit to be the Chosen and yet you were the one that become so."

And next to her he, too, was running towards… "I… I am…"

Kuchinawa had smiled "You were born by mistake…"

"That's not true! The two of them have a value just because they are alive! And even if you say they don't, then I've decided that they do! They are my friends and therefore they have a value!"

_And with that kindness, Lloyd pulled me out of that self-destructing past… but…_

"Lloyd!"

"This is my last wish! Eternal Sword! Please awaken the Great Tree!"

"Please!"

"Come back! Derris-Kharlan!"

_At the very last second the one who was next to Lloyd was Colette. I was a little sad but this is what I thought_: "…that's fine. They suit each other. And if I say it it's because it's true." _So that's why… that's why, right now…?_

* * *

"…_hi-ho, hi-ho! I don't know the ends of the world, but-! Even then, tomorrow will still come! It'll come straight to my home! So let's get going, hi-ho, hi-ho!_ _I'm ready on the saddle, hi-ho, hi-ho!_"

The three dropped to the ground, laughing. "Cheeeeeeeeeers!"

* * *

"Aaaah… can't eat more… no more, no more!" so said a rather drunk Zelos, letting himself fall down onto the coach. Soon (as in seconds-soon) the sound of the Chosen's light snores announced his friends that he had fallen asleep.

She was standing at Dirk's sink. Zelos and Lloyd had started talking about subjects she didn't care much about (mainly swords) so she had decided to wash the dishes they had used for dinner. Zelos, it seemed, had kept on drinking while carrying the conversation.

At the small table behind her, Lloyd grinned. "This is the first time I see Zelos this drunk."

She smiled in response, looking over her shoulder to see him clearly. "An idiot is an idiot even on the road. You'll have to forgive him though," Zelos didn't get as many chances to relax as he was used to, she guessed.

Lloyd stared at the fire burning at the chimney. "Is this… some sort of 'friendly' trip?" again, he eyed her slyly, as if privately celebrating something.

She looked away and concentrated on scrubbing the plate in her hands. This wasn't the first time anyone had implied that kind of thing – she had been asked whether she was on her honeymoon a few times already, for instance. But of all the people in the world…

Lloyd laughed a little. "Sorry, sorry! I've made my guest cook and topped it off by making you wash…"

"Don't worry about that," she answered quickly, as she really didn't mind. "It's not something I hate, really. See? I'm done now," wiping her hands on a dirty cloth she sat down again.

"By the way, your apron is falling apart," she smiled, "You should ask Colette to sew it up for you."

"Colette, you say…? Er…"

* * *

"Your apron needs stitching?" Colette smiled, "That's easy enough! I'll take care of it."

Needle and thread in hand, "Chi-ku, Chi-ku, Chi-ku…" the young ex-Chosen startes, "Chi-ku. Chi-ku, Chi-ku… Chi-ku. Chi-ku, Chi-ku… Ah…! I think I over-did it a little here…"

Now, taking out a pair of scissors, "Cho-ki cho-ki… ah, good! Chi-ku, Chi-ku, Chi-ku… ah ! "

"Ah!" Lloyd mimicked.

"It's fine, it's fine…"

"Is it…?"

"Chi-ku, chi-ku, chi-kuuuu… alright, it's done ! "

"…say, Colette…?"

"Mh?"

"And… what's that?"

The girl looked at her creation. "An apron… I think?"

"An apron?"

"…probably."

* * *

"…and it'd probably come out like that."

She laughed loudly, stopping a little when she remembered Zelos was sleeping. "Give me some thread and a needle later. I'll patch it up in no time."

"Thanks," Lloyd smiled, "Sheena, you are really feminine, aren't you?"

"Wh – hah!"

"Your cooking's good, and are good with delicate stuff…!"

"I – I am Mizuho's Chief! It's not fitting for me to be called… girly!" she answered, flustered in pretended anger. She was, actually, not sure whether she should feel happy or not.

"Oh, I see! Heh, sorry, sorry! So the Chief, eh?"

"Heh, that's what they say," the Igaguri style dictated modesty was to be used at all times. It was somehow tiring. "I don't think I'm a very reliable leader though!"

"That's not true at all!" of course, Lloyd wouldn't realize that kind of obligated modesty, "I've always thought you'd make a great leader, you know?"

"Aw, c'mon…"

"I'm not just flattering you! How to explain it… well, you are very human! You are kind, so people can feel good when you are around. And that's a great thing when you are a leader, isn't it?"

"Ah, cut that out, you are embarrassing me!"

"Because it's true, right?" both of the laughed softly, not wanting to wake their friend.

After a few instants of silence, Sheena faced the chimney and then sneaked a peek at the man next to her. "Say, Lloyd…"

"Uh?"

"…no, it's nothing. I think I'll just go get some fresh air outside."

And so she got up and walked out, stopping not far from the small river that passed near the swordsman's house. The wind was cold and almost cutting in comparison to the cozy warmth she had left behind… to think that just a few hours ago the night was looking to be hot…

She hugged herself, feeling so confused she could feel her stomach swirling.

Or perhaps that was the wine, but she still felt very confused. Because on one hand, she had grown used to him so much that… but on the other, Lloyd had…

_Right now… what am I supposed to do now?_

* * *

**Notes:** The last of the "#$€& ARGH" chapters, at least for me. I don't like this track, at all, to the point in which it was hard for me to sit down and translate… but next track is better as are the rest. Now, if Love Triangles are your thing, you may have liked this Track. Me, I hate them.

I don't know ho wmany of you knew, but there's a Tales of Symphonia manga running in Japan. I've ordered the first volume (should arrive in a few weeks) and from what I've seen it has great, great art. The fact that there's a _running_ manga makes me hope for an animated version: if they had released a few volumes and be done with it then it wouldn't have much appeal, but if it's a weekly/monthly series… let us cross our fingers.

I'm completely uninspired today so I'll cut it short with the promise that next chapter will be 1)Better, 2)Re-assuring. Look forward to it, and I hope you enjoyed reading this more than I did.

WDR

* * *

Yuugure no Naka de

…_sonna atashi no chotto mae ni… Zelos wa utainagara aruita… zutto… zutto… utainagara atashi no chotto mae wo arukitsutzuketa._

* * *


	11. 2 Track 3 In the Evening

**Disclaimer:** Zelos, Sheena and their misadventures are not of my belonging.

* * *

**Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology**

**Rodeo Ride Tour**

_A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer_

* * *

**Track Three – **

**In the Evening**

* * *

Birds chirped outside the house. The wind blew softly and the river ran along its course.

Normal morning sounds, only they were too damned noisy today. And there was someone making a complete racket in the kitchen, too.

With some difficulty, Zelos Wilder managed to get up from the couch and sit down. He blinked at the all-too bright room and briefly wondered where the hell he was. Just as he was remembering a sudden pang of pain crossed his head.

"Aaah, that hurts…" he muttered, massaging his forehead with his palm.

"Good morning, Zelos!" when had Lloyd gotten so close, he couldn't say.

"Gh – ah – cut out with your yelling, wont'cha?"

Lloyd smiled, undaunted by his friend's appearance. It made Zelos wonder – had he really drunk _that_ much last night? Was he yelling on purpose? And how did Lloyd manage to be so Goddess-darned energetic in the morning?

"Hurry up and go wash your face!"

Zelos sighed, ruffling his hair and slowly stretching his arms. It was then he noticed there was someone missing.

"Aaah… huh?" It was almost bizarre to wake up without her being close by… for how long had they been traveling together so far? "Say… and Sheena…?"

"She went shopping to the village! She said she'll cook something special for today's dinner, heh!"

"…dinner?"

"Alright, done, done! I've prepared two lunches. Today you better get ready to do some work at the fields!"

Lloyd handed him a small box and quickly strode off towards the door, so he missed the redheaded looking down at his lunch and very quietly, even sadly, answer "…yeah."

* * *

"Eeh? So you are saying you are a guest at Lloyd's?"

Sheena grinned. She liked marketplaces such as this one: crowded and noisy but not enough to be tiring. People were just walking around the plaza, saying hello to one another, announcing the goods they were selling… it was almost as if someone had taken the entire place out of a picture and then made it real. In fact, scratch that: it wasn't noisy, it was rather cozy.

"Yes, yes! So, c'mon sir, I bet you can give me a discount or something?"

The man, obviously a farmer by the way he was built, smiled at her. "Well, I couldn't do any less for a friend of Lloyd's! He's helped us so much, you see. I'll let you get away with everything at 20 Gald, my little thief."

"Thanks!"

"Pasta, tomatoes, fish, vegetables… so you are making Pescatore for dinner then?"

"Just that!"

Again, the man smiled at her, still gathering the ingredients. "Miss Colette does this dish a lot as well! And no mistake, with what you are taking."

Sheena's smile froze in her face and her eyes fell towards the floor. Suddenly the idea of preparing Pescatore didn't seem so appealing.

"Say…" she called, the man was already tying up all of the ingredients together, "I'm sorry… but, could you take off the pasta and fish…?

* * *

In front of her a soup was boiling. Back at the market she had decided to try and improvise a recipe she had heard of before leaving Mizuho. So far, she was pleased with how things were turning out.

After adding a few clove leaves she took a sip out of the mix and smiled. "Mmh, good, good!" she smiled to herself, placed a lid over the pot and proceeded to cut some vegetables while humming. As the new leader of Mizuho, she didn't get many chances to cook… but it was something she enjoyed. Or at least something she enjoyed when she had _someone_ to taste it and compliment it…

…perhaps she _was_ more feminine that she had thought?

The sound of someone coughing in a rather strained way made Sheena jump a little, and she turned around.

Zelos was leaning on the frame of the door, his shoes and hands caked with dirt. His face and hair, too, showed some specks of mud here and there. Back when they were traveling as a group during the Journey of Unification (as people now called it), she would've, at least, made a commented on that if not right out mocked him – 'What, not enough hours in the morning for your daily toilette session?', or 'Your hair must be making you so anxious right now!' – but lately, she realized, she had gotten used to seeing him like that… and he hadn't complained once, too.

She smiled a little at him before turning back to the vegetables. "Don't you go surprising me like that! So when did you come back?" she took off the lid and stirred the soup within the pot, "You worked the fields today, right? I bet you were just lazing around though…!"

Zelos crossed his arms and looked at the spread-out ingredients that were laid out on the table. He sounded a little tired as he spoke, or so it seemed to her. "Dinner, huh?"

She ignored his question and kept cutting vegetables. It was almost four o'clock, wasn't it obvious enough?

Zelos, however, asked again. "So you're preparing dinner, huh."

Something in the Chosen's tone made her angry, but she clenched her teeth, started slicing a carrot and forced her voice to come out as normal as possible. "Yeah, that's right. Any problem with that?"

Behind her Zelos took a few steps closer, standing by the table. "So how many nights are you planning to stay here?" again, she didn't answer, taking a small container labeled "Red Satay" and shook it as if to check whether there was any left. "We don't know when those stupid terrorist might come to attack. We had agreed we wouldn't stay anywhere for more than one night… that was a rule, remember?"

Sheena busied herself washing some potatoes. She didn't want to hear him… she didn't want to wonder why he sounded so serious. So she concentrated on the potatoes and shushed that little voice in the back of her mind that kept making her remember that time when he had promised to help Mizuho, or that time at the Tower of Salvation when she thought he was leaving forever…

"Aaah, c'mon already!" to her relief, he started sounding a little more like his usual self now, "I may be the one at fault for making bad jokes yesterday, but you should give that up already!"

"...give what up?" her voice had gone cold, but she didn't mind. There was anger gnawing at her stomach right now and she didn't feel like trying to control it for much longer.

"As if you had to ask," there was no bitterness in Zelos' voice, but _now_ she allowed herself to remember all those times he had lied, and how he masked his feelings on that day he visited Mizuho.

She glared briefly at him over her shoulder. "I don't know what you are talking about…"

"I'd like you to be clear with me before I go clean up, y'see," he didn't move from his place but again his voice sounded tired, "If people end up misreading things, the only one who's gonna end up dejected is gonna be you, you know. And it's not as if you've got much chance, anyway!"

Tense silence filled the room. He was staring at her and she was staring down at her soup, slightly leaning onto the stove, resting on her hands. Just two seconds, two short seconds were enough to turn the mood upside down.

So when Zelos started, once more in his everyday voice, "Whaaat? If this is just about boys, I bet you have as many as you wish, right? Heh, yeah! If ya ever need someone, just ask and the Great I will help find som -"

…she exploded. "You shouldn't - !" her hands slapped down on the kitchen counter and she turned to face the redheaded, "You… you shouldn't thing everybody is as frivolous as you."

Slowly, his smile diminished and became a small, forced grin. "…what did you say?"

"If this one's no good, then that one. If that one's no good, the other! Maybe someone like you can't understand, you know, actually _liking_ someone – !"

His fists clenched and his smile was now gone. "Saying that, as if you even - !"

"Well isn't it the truth, anyway!"

"Stop joking around!" Zelos roared.

"You, too!"

They glared at each other in silence. Somewhere in her mind Sheena realized this was the first time she had seen Zelos angry... the always cool, collected Chosen who even in his 'betrayal' was sardonic but not irate was now gone: his chest moved quickly, his brow was furrowed and he had, for the first time ever since they had met, yelled at her.

But none of this was really registered as she was too busy being angry as well.

Finally, Zelos brushed his hair back in evident frustration. "If we just sit here forever…" he started, his voice strained, "Something could happen to this village, and we wouldn't even know when."

She hugged herself, her face slightly downcast but her eyes remaining on him. "The one being targeted is you, isn't it?"

It's not an easy feat to catch the exact moment when a person's feelings are hurt. Especially not with someone as 'skilled' as Zelos, who had lived amongst nobles for most of his life. But she saw it. In his face, for just a second, she saw that those last words had cut deeper than any other thing she had said ever before.

But it was just a second, and then Zelos frowned and turned around. "Just do as you please," he spat before walking out of the room, slamming the door closed as he left.

She stared at the door for a few instants before turning around towards the stove, where she proceeded to stare into the soup instead. She wasn't feeling angry. She wasn't feeling sad. She wasn't satisfied nor disappointed… she was feeling all mixed up and yet strangely empty. The confusion she had felt just the night before, standing alone by the river, swelled up and pushed all thoughts out of her mind.

She couldn't think. And she wasn't sure she could feel, at least not right now. She was empty.

How long did she remain like that?

The door opened again, but she didn't turn around.

"Er, did something happen…?" Lloyd's voice asked, and she heard him walk towards her. "Just now I saw Zelos looking really angry…"

She didn't answer and instead glared at the soup. Somehow the emptiness she had been feeling started to clear up a little.

"Did you two have a fight, or something?"

"…no, it was nothing," she shrugged.

"Right," she hadn't _tried_ to fool Lloyd. She was too drained to even try… and perhaps it was better if he believed she and Zelos had fought. "Er… you – you two should make up! A messenger came today from the village, you know? He said Colette's coming back tonight! So let's have a party like yesterday, the four of us! Right?"

Or perhaps not.

Suddenly she knew what she had to do, what she _wanted_ to do… even if it didn't make her completely, absolutely and madly happy. Because that kind of thing happened only in fairy tales, right? In real life… in real life even joys could taste bitter, right?

"I'm sorry, Lloyd," she took off the apron she had mended that very morning, leaving it on the nearby table, "I must go."

"…eh?"

"This…" she pointed vaguely at the pot and the vegetables, "It's basically all done now, so you just have to warm it up a little…" she started speaking faster and faster, "The soup might taste better if you add some salt later, but – "

"Wait a minute!" Lloyd interrupted with genuine confusion on his face, "What's wrong, so suddenly? Did I… did I do anything to make you angry?"

She would've laughed if it hadn't been such a bittersweet thing to hear. "No… you didn't do anything wrong at all."

He stared at her, still confused and, she thought, somewhat hurt.

"Say… Lloyd…"

"…huh?"

Sheena looked up at the man and then down, blushing a little. She took one step, and then another and one more and hugged the swordsman, allowing her head to rest on his chest for just a second.

"…it was fun. Thank you."

"…Sheena…?"

* * *

He didn't say anything when she appeared at his side; in fact he didn't even look at her for more than a second before letting his eyes fall down to the floor again.

She did the same, because she didn't know what to say.

She wasn't angry, and she could see that neither was he. But he didn't look happy either, which made her feel even more melancholic than before.

…because, she thought, if he had only received her with a joke, if he had perhaps tried to make a pass at her, then she would've yelled and he would've laughed and things would go back to the way they were meant to be…

…but it seemed even Zelos could, sometimes, grow tired of those frivolous (if oddly satisfying) games. Perhaps a change was in order. Perhaps not. It had been silly to think he hadn't matured.

"Hey," said the two at the same time, their eyes meeting for a few instants before again looking down at the ground. In the rays of the setting sun the only sound around them was that of their own footsteps.

"You start," said Zelos, red hair almost hiding his face.

She moved her gaze away."…no, you go first."

He didn't stop walking nor did he raise his head. "…I'm sorry. I… talked too much," at this he finally looked up at her, his face serious but not condemning, "But, you know, I don't think what I said was wrong – "

"You weren't wrong," she interrupted, "I was the wrong one. Sorry."

"…it's fine. Just… don't worry."

Once more they just stared at the brown soil beneath their feet, colored red and golden by many fallen leaves, and covering all behind them their shadows grew long as the sun continued its race downwards, its rays softly piercing across the remaining foliage, making figures on the ground.

"Say…!" said the two at the same time, again looking at each other before turning away. In other situation she would've laughed, perhaps even blushed, but right now… it almost made her feel worse.

She didn't wait for him to talk, though. "Wine…" from a bag she kept under her shoulder, she produced a bottle full of the liquor, "I brought one bottle with me. Let's call it a date tonight."

He snorted. "Not much else to do with that."

She was a little surprised he didn't cheer up. But only a little.

* * *

"Mmmh… ah, this is so tasty!" the girl grinned, holding a spoonin her hand and looking at her comanion at the other side of the table." ...is there anything wrong, Lloyd?"

The swordsman looked up from his plate and into Colette's worried eyes and managed to give her a half-hearted smile.

"Heh… it's nothing. Yeah, it's nothing, Colette…"

* * *

"_The_ _destination, I don't know, hi-ho! Hi-ho! But I've mounted my steed! Hi-ho! Hi-ho! I don't know the ends of the world, but -! Even then, tomorrow will still come! It'-ll come straight to my home! _Aw, you sing too, c'moooon!"

Zelos wasn't drunk but he had finally dropped his morose attitude and, after they were finished with their simple dinner and had decided to hit the road again,had started to sing that silly old song and dance in the most boisterous way possible.

Sheena wasn't really in the mood to sing and dance while walking; even if she had been the one to suggest the 'date' dinner idea. After all that had happened in just one day she was still feeling a little melancholic.

"I'll pass," she had almost snapped, looking aside.

"C'mon, sing!" he had insisted, taking her shoulders and smiling in that goofy, silly smile she had gotten used to. By now she could tell the Chosen's mood just by looking at it: if it was forced or sincere, if it was cynical or hopeful or amused or mocking…

"_The destination, I don't know, hi-ho! Hi-ho!_" Zelos re-started, 'dancing' (walking, more than that) backwards with long, dramatic strides. "_But I've mounted my steed…_?"

She sighed as a smile started to tug at the corners of her mouth, and in her worst possible voice, said: "_Hi-ho, hi-ho._"

"Alriiiiight! _I don't know the ends of the world, but -! Even then, tomorrow will still come…!_"

* * *

_Looking completely stupid… an incurable sentimentalist… an unredeemable idiot… so was Zelos dancing while walking just in front of me…_

_And the people we found on the road, all of them looked at Zelos and sneered at him, but…_

_But even then, Zelos continued… always, dancing and walking just in front of me._

* * *

**Notes:** I have so many things I'd like to say here today, but I'll try to kept things short. First, I like this chapter. Sure they fight but they make up and once more Sheena decides to follow Zelos, and Zelos shows a part of him one usually doesn't get to see… although one has to say, though, "Yes Zelos, you are the one at fault for making stupid jokes yesterday". I know the fight might have been a little confusing and/or vague, but that's the way they had it in Japanese: they never really say clearly what are they talking about, or at least that's what Ithink I understood.

Also, from my point of view there are two possible translations for what Zelos says ("I'd like you to be clear…"). Since I'm not sure, I present you now the alternative line:

"Look, if you wanna part with me you should be clear about it. If we misunderstand things the only one who's gonna end up sad will be you. There are no winners in this kind of fight, anyway…"

In the end I chose the other one because it made a little more sense, but this one is kinda… more dramatic.

I don't know what to say about what went on with Lloyd and Sheena… that pairing is possibly the one I _dislike_ the most (man, I'd rather read Raine/Lloyd). I can see where it comes from, of course, but I don't like it at all. We can at least now say that Sheena has decidedly picked Zelos over Lloyd though, and I can't see Lloyd leaving Colette for any reason in the world.

Also, I'll be warning you from now on… this is ending soon. I, sadly, have no control over the number of tracks, so I can only say it won't last much longer. At all. The end is coming O-O

I said I'd be short so I'll leave it here. Oh, and for those who asked via review and e-mail – no, the manga I talked about is not the Comic Anthology. That one is a four-tome collection of short stories, mostly humorous, involving all of the cast. This is a manga (graphic novel) adaptation of the game itself.

Hope you enjoyed as much as I enjoyed writing it-

_WDR_


	12. 2 Track 4 The End of the Journey

**Disclaimer:** I don't claim ownership over the Rodeo Ride Tour license and its characters, so there.

**Notes: **Again, a few flashbacks here. Be alert to them. Sheena still narrates. Also, there's this word "_tanto_", which is basically a short sword used by the ninja.

* * *

**Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology**

**Rodeo Ride Tour**

_A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer_

* * *

**Track Four – **

**The End of the Journey**

* * *

Zelos stared at the fire burning in front of him. Even though it was at most four o'clock in the morning he was wide awake. It wasn't that it was his turn to keep watch: they had stopped doing watched a few weeks after the start of their travel… he just couldn't sleep.

In fact, his insomnia had started a week ago already, a few days after they left Lloyd's house. He just was too anxious to sleep – the terrorists hadn't moved for far too long. They could be planning on another bomb-attack, or they could be planning on attacking the two of them again… and if they brought more people this time, would he be able to protect her…?

He moved his gaze from the fire to the figure resting across it. Sheena slept soundly, not disturbed by the cracking of the fire nor by whatever things could loom in the darkness.

…talking about that…

"Oi, the one over there!" he called softly but firmly, not moving from his place but quickly calculating in how many seconds he would be able to get his sword, wake Sheena and start fighting, "If you don't show yourself any time soon, just don't blame me if you suddenly get hit by magic."

From the bushes near the Chosen's feet the figure of a man rose.

"It is me," it said, and Zelos grinned at him.

"Hey! It's been a while, Orochi."

"As expected of you, Chosen One," the ninja, bowed slightly, hand over his chest, "You were able to discern my presence immediately. In comparison, my village's Chief is…"

Sheena moved slightly, sighed contently and settled back to sleep. Orochi shook his head but Zelos was sure the ninja was smiling at least a little… just like he was.

"My, my, really."

The redheaded laughed a little and got up, sitting on top of his sleeping bag. "C'mon, sit over here. 's warmer."

The ninja nodded and sat, cross-legged, next to the fire. The Chosen took an old, blackened branch and moved the logs a little before throwing one more into the flames. Orochi stared first at him and then at the fire, his eyes more serious that he would've liked.

But he'd be damned if he showed the ninja how worried he was.

So he chuckled, throwing the branch aside, and sighed, "Seems you have some bad news for me."

The wind picked up and Orochi's eyes met his for a few tense seconds before going back to the flames.

"…that's right."

* * *

"Well, actually I _did_ notice, but you know, I thought 'Well it's just a friend, so there's no need to wake up', see? Because… well, we can meet even with me asleep, you see!"

Zelos laughed loudly, not letting go of the frying pan he was holding over the fire.

"Whaaaaat?"

"There's some good news from Meltokio!" he explained, carefully moving the bacon that was sizzling on the saucepan. "Almost done… anyway, he wanted to let us now as quickly as possible, so he came looking for us at the middle of the night. Always kind, eh Orochi? Alright, all done now! Sheena, the plates!"

With her mouth half-full of bread, Sheena nodded and quickly got three worn dishes from the Chosen's pack.

"So what's this news anyway? Did you find any information on the terrorists?"

Orochi nodded. It had taken a bit of effort convincing him to have breakfast with the two of them but he had ended up accepting. "We have exterminated them."

Zelos grinned, clearly happy, as he handed her her share. "Two birds, one stone!"

"Two birds…?"

* * *

_And so, it became clear that the end of the journey had finally arrived…_

* * *

------------------------------------------

The forces of the Mizuho warriors aided by a few regiments from the Royal army had stormed the terrorists' base one night. Luck had been on their side and the criminals had not realized the danger they were in until it was all too late.

"Don't let even one escape!" Orochi, leader of the operation, had called, "The people from Mizuho shall never forgive these terrorists who threaten the stability of the world! Exterminate them all!"

"Yeeaaaaaargh!" a man charged at him, sword in hand. It seemed he was the leader, but that didn't mean he was any good at handling weapons.

"Too slow!" Orochi had easily parried the attack with his own short tanto, quickly countering with a few swift blows and forcing the man to back down.

"We… we are no terrorists!" he had cried, struggling to keep the ninja away, "We shall kill the Chosen and build a new, golden era!"

Orochi's eyes narrowed and he put some more pressure onto the sword, "A new age is already in the works. However, an age created like this…!" he shoved the man aside and with a quick thrust his sword was impaled into the terrorist's stomach.

"…it is not one that would last long."

------------------------------------------

* * *

_Advancing amidst the cries of the battlefield, Orochi and his forces swept through the terrorists' man base, killing or taking prisoner every single of their enemies._

_As we had thought they were a group founded upon religious fanaticism, and at the back of it all there was the lingering scent of jealousy, old rancor along with the shadow of several low-class nobles._

_The investigation was well-carried, and yet…_

"Two birds, one stone!"

_Yes, two birds were killed with the same hit._

_And so, it became clear that the end of the journey had finally arrived…_

* * *

The Chosen was crouching by a nearby lake, humming happily to himself that silly old song they had first heard when leaving the ports. His usual long-gloves had been discarded and left on the ground next to him as he washed the dishes and utensils they had used for preparing breakfast.

Sheena smiled a little. Finally, after months on the road, they could go back to their normal lives without having to worry about endangering anyone. Even at the middle of the forest Zelos looked truly relaxed; bent over the small lagoon washing a bowl, his hair fallingdown the sides of his face.

"…Zelos," she called. For some reason she couldn't exactly pin-point she was feeling rather… hesitant.

But Zelos' answer was quick, "Heeey! Just wait a second, will ya? Almost done with this."

Yes, she repeated to herself. He was _bound_ to be happy, and so was she suppossed to feel, too… but somehow, the idea of the trip ending was starting to sound unnatural.

"O-key, we are done," she pushed that though aside as Zelos shook the bowl a little and then placed it onto the grass next to the others.

She grinned at him, "You've gotten really used to washing the dishes, haven't you?"

He chuckled, "It may be, you know, that I've ended up liking this."

"What, doing the dishes?"

"Cooking, laundry, the dishes, sleeping in the open."

"Why, quite the homely little Chosen we have!"

Again he laughed and pushed his hair back. Some of it stuck to his still-wet hands and he crossed his legs, staring a little at the lake before turning to face her, his smile intact.

"So what's up?"

"Well, nothing really."

"Heh," it sounded as if he was sighing instead of laughing, "Well, siddown," he patted the ground next to him and looked again ahead to the lake. As she took the place he had indicated she couldn't help but to notice his face had turned pensive, it was easy to see he wasn't looking at the lake but at something much farther away.

Feeling again slightly melancholic Sheena hugged her legs and gazed at the morning sun reflecting off the lake. A nice, comforting silence was formed between the two, and yet she could feel an apprehension within her chest.

"This time…" Zelos finally spoke, eyes still looking ahead.

"Mh?" she turned her head.

He, too, turned around, smiling sheepishly, "I got you into some trouble, didn't I?"

She smiled, shaking her head. "Nah…"

Once more Zelos looked at the water. "I was thinking of going alone… but once I was setting out, well, it's not to say I suddenly felt lonely or sad or…"

The Chosen stopped, his smile fading as well. He looked as if he was struggling to say something, but Sheena was too afraid to talk. She'd say the wrong thing. She'd make him feel bad about this unusual moment, he'd stop…

So instead she only muttered an almost inaudible "…mhm?"

"And then…" Zelos rested his head on his knee, smiling at her, "Your face appeared in my mind."

"A-aah…"

"Yeah, I…" he forced a chuckle, "I didn't thank you, did I?"

The ninja snorted, "You didn't."

"You want me to?" the Chosen's voice went back to his usual sultry tones.

"Heh, what for!"

"Heh, I see… heheheh."

The two laughed a little before going back to stare at the lake.

"There's… there's no need to sleep outdoors and sneak around anymore, right?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"We don't need to cook neither, right?"

"Yeah."

"And the dishes?"

He took one of the spoons and hit a bowl with it, "All done."

In spite of herself, she smiled and stretched her arms. "Mmmmh! Finally able to go back to my usual, scheduled life! I kept thinking that the Chief's work would be completely tiresome but after leaving on a journey this long, I look back at it and it's almost inviting."

Zelos made a weak attempt at a smile.

"You must be like that, too," she continued, but this time he didn't even try. "…say something, you."

The Chosen waved a hand vaguely before letting it drop, to his side and averted his eyes. "I'm sorry."

* * *

_In the morning the lake was silent and shining with reflections._

_I can, even now, clearly remember the quietness that surrounded us and the light reflecting off the lake._

_And… at that time, what we were thinking… that inexplicable feeling, that melancholy that was deep inside our breast, I can remember that as well._

"The Chief of Mizuho… The Chosen of Tethe'alla, mh?" _Zelos mumbled, and laughed quietly,_ " 'twas a trip of big shots alone, it seems."

"…I know."

"Say, Sheena…"

"Mh?"

"…the way we are, right now… why don't we just escape to some other place…?

_Those words seemed to float for ever in between the two of us. I think… those words were really unreal, sentimental, words that wouldn't do any good for anyone…_

_...but at that time, if I had just reached out my hand, I could've taken a hold of them…_

"…Orochi is waiting for us. Shall we go…?"

"…yeah."

_We got up… and started walking away._

* * *

**Notes:** I did say the ending was coming soon… the next chapter is basically a wrap up and then there's an _enormous_ free talk (split into two or three) which I'm not going to translate because the only important thing in there is Sheena's actress saying "I'd pick Zelos over Lloyd any day of the week".

So I like this chapter. It's… romantic, and sentimental, which means "silly emotional being" in Japanese (or so I've been led to think), what with Zelos saying its bad news that Orochi is there ('cause that means the journey is over and whatnot) and that scene by the lake… :sigh-ness:

As you can see the mystery of the repeating bit at the end of the two 'Track 1's is starting to unveil, too. Also, if you go and re-read the Free Talk in chapter 8, you can see that Onosaka Masaya had clearly read the script for this second part already… it was full of clues.

Oh, and I'm not sure whether this chapter is titled "The End of the Journey" or "The Journey Doesn't End". So am I a liar or not? You decide!

Hope you all enjoyed, and see you next week for the conclusion! I'll be laughing like a maniac while waiting for reviews.

_WDR_


	13. 2 Track 5 Words that Were Left Behind

**Disclaimer:** Rodeo Ride Tour is not mine. I'm not getting paid either ;;

Flashback alert!

* * *

**Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology**

**Rodeo Ride Tour**

_A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer_

* * *

**Track Five – **

**Words that Were Left Behind**

* * *

A few buttons were pushed and the Rheaird started up, steam coming out of its junctures before it got off the ground, hovering a few inches above.

"Sorry 'bout this!" Zelos called over the noise, "I know it's the only Rheaird but I need to get there quick!"

Next to Orochi, Sheena shook her head, smiling. "Get going already! You must have a mountain of paperwork waiting for you!"

The Chosen threw his head back and half-laughed, half-wailed. The machine started to take a little more altitude.

"Be careful in your trip, Chosen One," Orochi called, solemn as he always was.

"You too, Orochi!" the noise grew louder and louder and Zelos was now a little above their heads. "Sheena!" he yelled, looking down to her.

"Yeah?"

Zelos grinned and left a few instants go by before answering. "Don't forget!"

"Forget what!"

Whether he had chosen to ignore her or whether he hadn't heard her she didn't know, next thing she knew Zelos was gone in a flash or steam and energy.

She huffed. "What's with him…?"

Orochi turned to her. "So your journey… it's over, right?"

"Yeah."

"…What kind of journey it was?"

The ninja looked at the sky, as if in deep thought. "Mmmh… do you want the long version? Or the short one?"

The man chuckled a little but the effect was basically hidden by his mask. "Keep it short."

"I see, then…" she lazily scratched the back of her head and then crossed her arms behind her, "It was fun. Yeah, it was fun!"

Orochi didn't say anything else. She was always uncomfortable when he looked at her like that, mainly because she could never tell what he was thinking.

"So anyway," she re-started the conversation, "Shall we start heading back, too? If we go by sea, then… two days, maybe three 'till Mizuho, I think? Well, it depends on the ship though… say something already Orochi! Anything wrong?"

"Sheena…" the male ninja looked down at the grass beneath their feet and then sharply back up, staring into her eyes. "Listen."

"Uh?"

"What I told you before… about the extermination of the terrorists? There's something else!"

"…something else?"

* * *

------------------------------------------

"Yeeaaaaaargh!" a man charged at him, sword in hand. It seemed he was the leader, but that didn't mean he was any good at handling weapons.

"Too slow!" Orochi had easily parried the attack with his own short tanto, quickly countering with a few swift blows and forcing the man to back down.

"We… we are no terrorists!" he had cried, struggling to keep the ninja away, "We shall kill the Chosen and build a new, golden era!"

Orochi's eyes narrowed and he put some more pressure onto the sword, "A new age is already in the works. However, an age created like this…!" he shoved the man aside and with a quick thrust his sword was impaled into the terrorist's stomach.

"…it is not one that would last long."

The ninja removed his sword. Immediately enough blood started pouring out of the wound, staining the man's clothes and falling to the floor.

And yet…

"…heheheh… hahah…" the man was laughing. Blood gurgled out of his throat and yet he kept laughing. "…this matters not… we have something that ensures our victory… and then we will grant the Chosen his fate…"

Orochi was young but he was already used to this kind of situation. He didn't panic nor did he dismiss the dying man's words: calmly he took him by the collar, with enough strength to be intimidating and yet cautiously, as he didn't want the man to die before spilling whatever information he possessed.

"What are you trying to say?"

"…tell the Chosen…" the man's eyes were starting to look glazed, "Seles…"

"...what!"

"Your sister is now in our hands…" he grinned. It seemed he though he was talking to the Chosen no.

"You bastards!" Orochi had to restrain himself from slitting the terrorist's throat in that moment.

"If you aren't in this place in two days…" a rumpled, blood-stained paper was shoved into the ninja's chest, and the man's eyes focused once more. "The Chosen, alone…! Tell the Chosen only… if he tries anything funny… Seles…! We will…!"

"You cowards!" Orochi threw the man back to the floor. He could die now for all he cared.

He laughed once more. "We shall attain glory for our cause! We shall curse the Chosen! Forever… hehehahahahah…!"

------------------------------------------

* * *

The small valley they were standing in suddenly seemed a lot more empty and barren than before. The wind had picked up and resounded in her mind.

"…if told, the Chosen One would certainly go and help Seles… and lose his life in exchange," Orochi was saying. "If he wasn't told, then Seles would be… should I have told him? Should I have kept it a secret? Tell me… what would you have done, Sheena?"

"…ah-ah…" she was too shocked to do anything more than gasp.

"I told the Chosen… I told Zelos everything!"

* * *

------------------------------------------

"…just… don't tell Sheena anything," the redheaded had looked at the sleeping girl with fondness in his eyes, "That girl… worries too much about others. You understand what I mean, I guess?"

The ninja nodded. "Yes."

"And… I've already caused her too many troubles. Well, that's expected, being the who I am, heh…"

"I…!" Orochi interrupted, "I shall go with you. I brought one more Rheaird with me. If I go with you, maybe…"

"Seles and I, you know…" the Chosen had interrupted him, looking up at the sky. "Some time ago, a lot of things happened… things ain't going very well right now."

Slowly, Orochi nodded. Zelos smiled a sad grin before dropping his head.

"The Chosen System… isn't it stupid? But for a long while, it just went on between us… and it kept getting more and more complicated, too!" it was as he wasn't talking to anyone in particular, Orochi was sure that at the moment the Chosen was only trying to clear up his mind.

"It's not that it's my fault… it's not that it's Seles' fault either, of course. But, you know…" here the redheaded had grinned as if in conspiracy and then once more looked at the sky, his silhouette almost outlined against the sky, "From morning to night… working the fields, getting caked with mud. I haven't, you know, showed her that cool side of me. So, I wanna!" he was obviously having some troubles expressing what he had in mind but the ninja understood. "Just once… just one time is good enough! If I do that, I get the feeling I'll be able to get along with Seles! So… so, please… let me go alone. Please?"

He had stared at the Chosen. He understood but that didn't make it any easier.

"There is no proof that the terrorists will liberate Seles even if you keep the deal."

"But!" again he had interrupted, waggling a finger, "If I don't go alone then there's a 100 chances of her dying. Whether the possibilities are bad or good… I don't have any option but to do it."

The two stared at the fire for a few seconds, the weight of reality heavy on their shoulders.

And then Zelos had looked up, smiling as he usually did. "Hey! Can ya lend me some paper and a pen or something?"

"Paper…?"

The Chosen grinned. "I'm writing a letter."

------------------------------------------

* * *

"He left this."

In Orochi's hand there was a paper, neatly folded in four but slightly wrinkled. Sheena stared at it, almost afraid of the words it held within.

Once more she felt stupid. Once more she realized she didn't really know that idiotic, good-for-nothing wild horse… it was the same as when he had first asked her to come along on the trip: she hadn't seen what lay behind his mask…

Slowly, she reached out to take the paper.

For how long had she been traveling with him? Months, now. Just the two of them. She had though she knew him better by now, and yet…

He had always hated the Chosen System. He had hated the title and all it implied.

And yet…

…why, now that the world was one, was he thinking of himself as a sacrifice? Just once he wanted to show Seles his 'cool' side, even if that meant he would die…

She took the letter and held it to her chest for barely an instant before opening it and reading its contents. Her breath caught in her throat and she could feel her eyes starting to water.

"I… do not wish you to go," said Orochi, looking down. "But. I don't think I can stop you either."

The ninja spoke, trying to keep her voice level and being only half successful at it. "I'm sorry, Orochi…"

"I've left a Rheaird deep in the forest," he interrupted manner-of-factly.

"I – I'll leave Mizuho to –"

"You are not my Leader!"

In surprise, she gasped. Was he implying that she was not qualified…? Why now, of all moments, did he have to…?

But then he lowered his mask and smiled softly at her. "You are Sheena Fujibayashi."

She choked back her tears.

"So just go now! Go and help him, quickly!"

"I… Thanks."

"I'll be praying for good luck," instead of crossing his chest in the traditional Igaguri style he squeezed her arm slightly, still smiling.

"…Thanks!" and she set off running.

* * *

The ground was uneven and hard to run on. Branches and leaves whipped at her face and body as she ran through the forest but she didn't even feel them as she dashed ahead, desperate, tears streaking down her face.

_**Won't 'cha come on a trip with me?**_

Sometimes she would try to wipe her eyes off with her sleeve, just for the sake of clearing her view. But she couldn't stop crying.

…_**at any rate, I was thinking of taking the path to my right…**_

…_**does that girl standing by the shade of the tree have any problem…?**_

All of the moments she had spent with Zelos, all the new sides she had discovered of him…

Was that not enough to keep him by her side? Was she at fault for not seeing deep enough… for being so stubborn and keep acting strong instead of allowing him close?

_**Good morning… my princess.**_

Or was he to blame for always acting, for not telling her the truth?

He never did.

If he had only told her, she would've allowed him to go, if that's what he wished…!

_**Brothers of Altamira! This, only…**_

**_Justice… wins…..!_**

No, she wouldn't have. She would've insulted him, she would've called him weak and unreliable and would've insisted in going with him because she couldn't just leave Seles' fate in his hands.

And it would've been an excuse, and a bad one at that.

"Zelos…"

Because deep down, so deep that even she couldn't see it, the only thing she would be wishing was to be with him.

…_**I'm sorry. I… talked too much….**_

…_**Cht. Not much else to do with that…**_

She kept running and running. Zelos' voice resounded in her mind… two days, Orochi had said. One had been wasted while Orochi found them, and the other was half-way gone…

…_**it may be, you know, that I've ended up liking this…**_

"Zelos!" she found herself screaming his name at nothing, but it was the only was she could think of letting out all the feelings that swelled in her chest, threatening to explode…

She tripped with the root of a tree and fell to the ground. Whimpering, the girl could only crush some dead leaves in her hands and punch at the ground in desperation.

…_**the way we are, right now… why don't we just escape to some other place…?**_

She got up and limped ahead. Her ankle hurt.

But the second day was half-way gone.

Ignoring the pain and with new-found tears she once more raced through the forest.

* * *

_In the letter Zelos had left behind there was one word._

_Just one word…_

…**_...Thanks……_**

"Zelos!"

_I ran. Stumbling time after time, crying…_

_Would I catch him…? That wild horse… so that he'd continue singing and dancing just a little in front of me… that good-for-nothing…_

* * *

**Notes:** Heheheh, two more chapters to go. Sorry, I was feeling silly-stupid last chapter and therefore I decided to post it like that. Most notes will be altered at some point (so many chapters to repost after correcting grammar and misspellings), so, uh, yeah…

I don't know what can I say about this chapter except that it is so lovely. You can pretty much read my opinions up there, mixed with the dialogue, so I'll try not to rant too much here, but there is one thing I'd like to say… is it just me or is Zelos still kind of having problems with his self-esteem? To leave a letter saying only "Thanks" (the most dramatic "Arigatou" I've heard in a while) and to ask "Don't forget (about me)!" is kinda… depressing, in a sense.

But that's why we love him, I guess.

I also find it funny how Sheena is basically hysteric over him and still calls him 'good for nothing', 'wild horse', etc… its also really sweet how, at the ends, what she wishes is for him to "continue singing and dancing just a little in front of her"…

Anyway, I'll leave it at that now. Reviews will be very, very appreciated, as always.

Thanks for reading!

_WDR_

Next chapter_ - Into Death's Domain_


	14. 2 Track 6 Into Death's Domain

**Disclaimer:** Rodeo Ride Tour is not mine. Sure wish it was tho!

* * *

**Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology**

**Rodeo Ride Tour**

_A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer_

* * *

**Track Six – **

**Into Death's Domain**

* * *

No guards were found at the entrance, and he had expected none.

After all, he was to come alone, and given that the whole organization's objective was to kill him they wouldn't give that honor to someone as lowly as a door-guard.

No, they would go all out, he guessed, with a special altar or a special knife, or maybe both, and many fancy words.

That was good. That would give him time to think, time to save Seles, time to escape…

As the found of his footsteps echoed through the metallic floor, Zelos Wilder smiled wryly.

Who was he kidding? He was going to die.

And it had to happen just now when, for the first time in what seemed a lot of years, he was actually feeling like living. Perhaps that was just life's way of saying 'I hate you', but then again it sometimes seemed most people, animals and unanimated objects disliked him anyway.

He had been walking for a few minutes now and still no sign of the terrorists, but the hallway was coming to an end. Calmly, he kept on walking, somehow feeling as if he was not there but many, many miles away…

And the corridor finally ended and he walked into a large room, an altar of sorts rising at the middle: imposing, elegant, with a set of stairs that led to the top. All around the altar and all around the building there were _many_ men, all clad in purple robes. They followed him with their eyes.

He was completely surrendered.

But he hadn't noticed. His attention was focused on the people who were atop the wide altar: a young man, older than him by just a few years at most and with a face all too pretty to be a common thug.

Low-class nobility it was, then. In his arms he held a pale and scared Seles, a rather fancy dagger firmly placed against her neck.

Well, what do you know? So they had both the altar and the knife.

He had barely walked into the room when Seles, ignoring the blade against her skin struggled forward.

"Brother!" she screamed, her voice almost breaking.

"Hohoho…" the youth commented, mocking. "So did you come alone?"

"I've come to quench you down, punks…" if the Chosen was nervous his voice didn't give him away: it was his everyday tones, if only a little more serious as he continued: "So let Seles go already."

The man giggled, which is never a good sign. "Don't be so impatient, now," he raised his free hand a little and, at the signal, all of the men who had been standing rushed towards the center. "Let us play a little."

"Brother, please run!" Seles was crying and yet she still fought against the man's hold, "I'm fine with this, so please run!"

Zelos stared at her for a few moments before smiling.

"Hey, Seles…"

His sister blinked at him and a small whimper escaped her throat.

"Am I…" he brushed back a few strands of hair, "Am I cool?"

The fanatic's leader arched an eyebrow but his hold didn't wane. "…what?"

"C'mon, Seles! Am I… cool?" his pose, his voice, it was all thought to look and sound as the epitome of smoothness… and it didn't matter if, in this particular environment, he looked stupid.

Only she mattered.

And she answered: "Yes…" softly the word left her lips, almost drowned by tears, and then once more: "Yes!"

Zelos laughed. "Alright!" he strode up towards the altar, stopping a few meters away from the bottom of the stairs. "I'll go and die in the flashiest way possible then!" and in a second his sword was out. "Come!"

Almost like raindrops the men started to fall onto Zelos, most were armed with rustic swords but sometimes quantity reigned over quality.

Parrying a blow to his right and impaling a man to his left and then slashing all around of him, kicking those who came too close and using his shield as a second weapon, Zelos fought desperately.

"_Victory Light – Spear_!" and he pushed many foes back, immediately turning around to slash at those who targeted his back, but a flash of pain suddenly burned at his side. He turned around and brought his sword down onto the attacker's neck and round, slashing another two but he could feel his blood quickly staining his clothes.

But not time to heal and no time to worry, he slammed his shield onto a man's face and thrust his sword into his chest, kicking another back while getting the sword out and once more slashing ahead. In between the battle cries and the yelps of pain the atmosphere was full of noise.

"So I'm supposed to be the one who dies, right?" a new cut was opened on his shield-arm but it was barely registered as he lunged forward and once more cut into the lines who separated him from the altar.

"_Thunder Blade_!" many were rendered unconscious by the magic but many more were still standing. "Haaaah! Come!" blood stained most of his arms now, and a fair share of it was his.

Someone slashed at his back but didn't get much of a cut before the Chosen spun around, slicing a man's neck and another's abdomen. It had stopped mattering who had managed to hurt him and who hadn't… he just wanted to survive.

He was suddenly forced to stop two blows that came from opposite sides, one with his sword, another with his shield. Magic surrounded him as he yelled "_Wind Cutter_!", sending the surrounding people flying and trying to make a run towards the stairs, but once more he was blocked.

"Don't… get in my way!" he sliced upwards and then reversed the blow, he turned around and slashed in circle; it would've been beautiful if he wasn't covered in cuts, blood and sweat. And yet he still taunted, "Hoooh, I'm burning! Haah! Ghya! What's wrong, c'mon! Don't ya think of running, you bastards!"

As a sword made a deep gash in his leg he didn't even cry the incantation, red mana

surrounded his body and the floor beneath him burned.

"He wont last much longer on his own!" the fanatic's leader was yelling over the noise, violently shaking Seles around and, in his panic, taking the knife away from the girl's skin. Good, though Zelos. Now all he had to do was…"Kill him! Kill him!"

"F-for the sake of a new world –"

"Take this-this-this haaaah!" Zelos' sword bounced against a shield but with one final slash he moved it aside and impaled the man.

"Our battle! Our battle shall not end!"

"What the hell are you talking about just come down and fight you too ya Goddess damned pansy what are you doing up there!" the Chosen didn't think anyone was paying any attention to what he was saying, but he needed to say something, to scream something as he fought onwards.

But the man almost grinned before kicking one of his subordinates down, "You go, too!" and pushing him right into the Chosen's attack.

"_Demon Spear_!" the sword was slammed into the ground before slicing upwards, dark energy surrounding it.

Three men fell before it and the battle was almost over: at least thirty more remained but looked too scared to move. Zelos, arms, legs and chest covered in cuts, was panting and had to lean on his sword for a moment.

"I… I'm still going!" he pushed up and half-stumbled towards the stair.

Panicking, a man charged at him and then another, the two were easily disposed of.

Not longer to the altar now.

One more attacked, forcing the Chosen to parry before slashing at the man's stomach. Another followed but didn't even get close as the 'victim' turned, sword ready, and sliced his chest.

He was tired, Zelos suddenly realized. Too tired. He was almost out of mana… healing was now something he wouldn't be able to do even if he had the time, and he was starting to feel weak.

He confirmed this as a fifth man brought a sword down to his shield and he was almost forced to back down, his knees buckling. Mustering his strength he drove his own sword in between his attacker's shoulder and neck, blood covered the blade when he pulled it out.

"Shit… they have too many people…" he muttered, if he could at least get them together, then he could use his remaining mana to… "Just come on already!"

Three more accepted his invitation and ran towards him. Parrying one with his shield he moved to the right to avoid a second hit but he was all too late in preparing for the third and a blade was buried deep into his side. "Gh-haaaaaaaah!"

"Die!" he though he could hear, but Zelos was feeling all too nauseous to care. Something tasted bitters in his mouth.

He coughed blood, took the man's blade with his hand and screamed "_Double Demon Fang_!" the three men dropped to the ground and he pulled the blade out of his body. His fingers were cut. But all around his body the pain was numbed by the number of wounds. He was aware that he hurt, but couldn't tell were… nor how, nor why.

And the blood that flowed from his body was cooling all too quickly, making him shiver in the dark…

He fell to his knees, panting in a mix of pain and exhaustion. Even then he kept his hand firmly clasped around his sword.

He could feel, in the sudden silence that surrounded him, the leader giggle again. "Well, as expected of our Chosen. It's easy to see you like to go all out."

"Don't… don't underestimate my… greatness…" using his sword again as a cane he prepared to get up. "I still… can do more!"

"Don't get so sure of yourself!" one of the low-grade followers walked over to him, ready to strike him with a metal staff.

Zelos lunged up, cutting the man upwards at the same time and once more stumbled towards the stairs. "Gh…" the last move, however, had re-opened some of his most serious wounds, "Just when we're down to reasonable numbers… it seems this is my limit."

The treacherous noble grinned and whipped the dagger back to Seles' neck. The girl whimpered as blood dripped down her neck – just a scratch, barely a wound but Zelos still felt anger burning in the pit of his stomach.

But even his anger wasn't enough to propel him up now.

"The game ends now!" the man yelled at him, smiling in an all-too disturbing way. "If you don't want to get your sister killed, how about dropping your sword?"

"Feh…" clutching his bleeding side, Zelos still pretended to laugh, muttering "You wish I'd do that, don't 'cha… you damned cowards, all of you -"

"Shut up!"

"…heh… yeah, yeah…" with some effort the redheaded got up, removing his shield and throwing it away along with his sword. The mechanic _clang_ they did as they fell at his feet somehow reminded him of another event, that now seemed so far…

It reminded him of a small wooden cabin, and of a rainy night and the bright morning that had followed, but how far was all that now.

"Fine," again that smile… it was despicable. "Now then… shall we have you coming here… _slowly_, now…"

"Brother…" Seles again called, voice wavering, "Please run awa- "

"SHUT UP!" The girl screamed as once more the blade drew blood.

"STOP THAT!"

"Heheh… then come, now, quickly! Hehehahahaheh…"

Hands raised in the air, slowly but continuously Zelos walked upstairs. His side throbbed and he felt focused and yet as if he was far, far away, as if he was watching from the side-lines… tears streamed Seles' cheeks as she shook her head slowly, silently mouthing 'No, no, no', but still up he went, 'till he was facing the madman.

And the man smiled pleasantly at him. "Thou, Tethe'alla's Chosen, Zelos Wilder… it is thine cursed soul which unto this World brings misfortune… it shrouds it with suffering! We shall be your judges!"

Around the altar the remaining men had gathered. Their fists were, as one, raised to the air. "Guilty! Guilty!"

With a wave of his hand, their leader silenced them. "And those who in this our sacred battle lost their lives…" he looked up, again smiling. "Their sacrifice… was not in vain."

There was so much emotion in his voice it was easy to see he actually believed what he was saying.

"Their souls! They will forevermore… shine in brilliance!"

"Evermore! Evermore!" once more the men chorused, rising their fists along with their cheers.

"We, the soldiers who have been chosen…! For the sake of a new, bright world, shall bestow judgment upon thee!"

The hand that had immobilized Seles sprung up and, taking her by the neck, violently hurled the girl to the floor.

"Die," the word was said calmly and the knife pulled back, Zelos threw one last glance to the almost petrified girl on the floor and closed his eyes. "Zelos… Wilder!"

* * *

Something exploded.

And then all of his skin started to hurt like hell and when he opened his mouth he realized he couldn't talk.

He was feeling nauseous and his insides burned.

* * *

The room was covered in smoke.

Sounds of coughing were heard everywhere and people ran from one place to the other in confusion.

Which meant the plan had worked.

"Calm down!" the leader started to yell, waving his hand in an effort to dissipate the smoke, "The Chosen! Concentrate on…! No! Seles! Find Seles! As long as we have Seles… he can't move a finger! Don't panic! Justice is on our side! Victory is ours!"

The atmosphere was starting to clean up now to reveal the battlefield just as it had been but still with two noticeable absences.

"Not here," the man said in a matter-of-fact voice. "Where?"

His goons looked at each other as he started pacing.

"Zelos! Seles! Where are you hiding!"

So she took his question as a cue.

"Here they are!"

The man turned to face her, visibly paling. "Gh-!"

"That you didn't even place a guard at the entrance… and that you actually thought you could kill this stupid Chosen!" brushing some hair back, Sheena Fujibayashi stood triumphant in front of the two Mana Siblings. "Seems you are even more stupid than we thought!"

Leaning against one of the stone pillars, Zelos coughed. A gumi of some sorts had been pushed into his mouth and, the fact he had almost drowned aside, the pain was numbing and his head had stopped swimming.

"Had to be you…" he squeaked in between coughs.

"Brother…" Seles whispered, holding onto the Chosen's arm.

"So you are Sheena…" the madman started, "From the village of Mizuho… Sheena Fujibayashi!"

"In flesh!" she answered, almost allowing herself to smile.

Because she had gotten there on time. Surely she looked terrible, but she had gotten there on time.

With a few quick movements her cards were at ready around her, crackling with mana.

"I will not forgive, any of you!"

…but something stopped her by pulling at her robe.

She looked down to find Zelos grinning at her, face specked with blood but grinning as he always did. "Oi, Sheena, so you came…"

Her voice turned soft for him, "Are you alright, Zelos?"

"Even you… don't go 'round stealing people's spotlights, will ya?"

She almost laughed. "Fine then. Just this time take your place and be a show off all you want."

The Chosen chuckled and, patting Seles on the top of her head, got up. He picked one of the dead man's swords and walked to the ninja's side. "Alright!"

"….y-YOU!" the leader was yelling in one last attempt to reorganize his men.

"_Come! Light!_"

"_Sopersonic Thrust!_" riding the beam that flew from the Summoner's hands, the Chosen flew, sword-first, towards his enemies…

And the room was bathed in light.

* * *

**Notes:** Very sorry for the lateness. I was too busy. Also sorry if the fight was too long but I wanted to make it a little better than "slash slash slashitty"

So this is where I say goodbye… the next chapter is the last one. We've come a long way! I… really enjoyed writing this. It may not be my idea or my story but still, I had a good time… I hope y'all liked reading this little translation (adaptation?) as much as I liked writing it.

Once more I make the offer – if you'd like to hear the tracks, send me a mail or tell me so in your reviews. I highly recommend them, mostly because there are just sounds and emotions that can't be expressed by writing.

I don't know if I'll write my own fics now that I'm done with this. I've been busy, to say the least, so yeah… I do have one or two ideas, so who knows?

Well, it was a nice trip. Please, please review the last chapter next week if you have time and if you've liked this! I'd really appreciate it, seriously.

Thanks for reading!

_WDR_


	15. Final Track: Someday

**Disclaimer:** The _Rodeo Ride Tour_ name, CD license and storyline, along with the characters of Zelos Wilder, Sheena Fujibayashi, Orochi, Lloyd Irving, Colette Brunel, and all others who appear in this work, are not of my belonging nor do I claim otherwise. This is an unofficial novelization of the official NAMCO CD Dramas, written by a fan for the fans and no profit has been made nor will be made in the future.

* * *

**Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology**

**Rodeo Ride Tour**

_A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer_

* * *

**Final Track – **

**Someday**

* * *

Birds were chirping outside.

"Mmh… aah…"

* * *

_I open my eyes and see the roof I'm used to seeing… Mizuho's everyday morning… I do that and I know that that trip is over. _

* * *

"Eeh… for this commissioned job... aaah… that we received an over-abundant reward – no, the just portion… eeh… we are really thankful – no, no, we are truly appreciative for the kindness shown. Hah! Finished!"

Orochi sighed. "As always, you keep using vertical writing."

"Whaaaa?"

He smiled at her as a teacher would do to a particularly problematic student. "Rewrite it."

"Yeah, yeah…"

With a sigh the ninja plopped once again in front of her table. ""Eeh… for this commissioned job…"

* * *

_Why is it…? _

_I hold onto my heart that hurts just a little and I think… that travel… what was it for me…?_

_And I think._

_Of the calm by that glittering lake. What were we thinking at that time? Of the words that were left unsaid… and of the future that we didn't choose._

* * *

An outbreak of high-pitched screams interrupted her work.

* * *

"To think that you'd stoop at visiting the countryside! We are so honored!"

"This is such a very boring place but please, allow me to guide you in your stay!

"No, I shall be your guide!"

"What are you saying? I called first!"

"I did!"

"It was me!"

"No, me!"

And then the voiced blurred into one as all the girls screamed, "It is I, right, Chosen!"

"Good, good, good! Aaaaand, this is over ladies!" the sound of hands clapping and their leader's strong voice stopped the girl's enthusiasm.

"Eh – er – ah, well, well…!" once more almost hidden behind the girls, Zelos whined a little.

Sheena shook her head and then took a hand to her temples. "Once and again and again and again, this is normal now, isn't it! Will you give me a break already? Don't make me lock you all!" the young ninja glared at the girls before shooing them away with her hands. "What're you looking at, break up, you are all dismissed!"

With much much whining and quite a few 'what's with her!' and 'no fair, keeping him to herself' muttered around, the girls left, leaving the Chosen and their leader standing one in front of other at the entrance of the town.

Sheena waited for a few seconds for the redheaded to say something, but Zelos was only staring at her and smiling all too bashfully.

"So?"

"Eh?" he asked, as if he had been snapped out of a trance and hadn't realized what was going on.

"So? What brings you?" she crossed her arms, smiling a sarcastic little smile. "You wouldn't be here to invite me traveling again, would you now?"

And in the silence that surrounded them, broken only by the sounds of Mizuho's river flowing close and the bamboo fountain hitting rhythmically against a stone, Sheena gazed upon something she had never expected to see in all of her life.

He looked away and smiled ruefully, raised his eyes to meet hers and once more looked away, played with his hair and then, as if his mind was set, looked straight into her eyes; a noticeable blush tinted his cheeks red.

"I just came… to look at your face."

And for a few instants she stared in shock before letting one of her arms fall down to her side and taking another to hide her blushing face.

"…you idiot!"

He laughed, and she did too, and together they walked alongside the river while the sun rose over the village.

* * *

_And so, as the wind blows,with nothing on my back… Along with a good-for-nothing,wild horse… I was dragged into a rodeo-ride tour._

* * *

_**Finis**_

* * *


End file.
